Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-07-24

*. 81 1919 Illinois. and none
yielded more readily to discipline or RI
peaed more rapidlyin the rough school
If experience But the men of the
Eighty fifth were, after Stone River
Chiekamauga Keuesaw. Peach Tree
Greek. Atlanta, and the march to the
sea. as much given to prankS as they
were in their first marcu III Kentucky
in the summer of 1862 We arrived at
Richmond, Va. on the long march from
the Carolinas early in May, 1869. our
brigade was made w of seasoned sol
but they came north in the belief that
General Haneck or Secretary stanton
had put d slight on General Sherman,
and they were looking for trouble.
The march from North Carolina,
after the sur rder of Johnston, had
been sort OF picnic for the boys. bur
discipline was as su,ct as ii was In
front of Atlanta, and ii was needed
when we came to Richmond. Halleck,
then in command of the Department of
army, pass in review before him as It
marched through Richmond Sherman
forbade the review, and Halleck re-
fused to permit any of ShermSa's men
TO enter the city. Ex-Confederate and
citizens came aud went at will. but
when Sherman's men attempted TO
visit the city they were met at the
pontoon bridge by provost guard and
turned back
"Sherman's man resented all tLis,
and they were furious over the intima
ton that they were kept out Of the city
in the interests of good order, and be
cause they could not be trusted. The
boys talked only among themselves
and organized To carry ont plan to
see the city. One day large crowd of
unarmed soldiers assembled at the
south end of the bridge, and at a given
signal rushed upon the guards, push
ing many of them into the river and
overwhelming the others by sheer
weight of numbers. In short, Sher-
| mans men. acting without orders and
without officers, seized the bridge and
held II while the boys went over and
looked about the fallen Confederate
capital. So far as know Halleek
made no complaint of this irregular
proceeding and Sherman did not 10
tiee it,
after the grand review at Washing
ton the Eighty-iifth Illinois. with the
OTHER regiments of the brigade. went
into camp near the Soldiers home, and
the men We're permitted to roam at will
over the city. One morning some Of
The boys discovered soldier at For
Slemmef walking up and down il
front of an officers tent carrying n log
on his shoulder. One of the boys wa,
sent over to investigate, and when he
reported that the soldier al the fort was
carrying the log as punishment for a
very trivial offense the men decided e
interfere They went in force. bui
without arms. over to the fort. took
charge, dismissed the log carrier 10 his
quarters, aud jovially Informed the of
ficer in command that the punishment
was contrary 10 the regulations, and
Sherman's men didn't want him to let
ii occur again.
sAt the close of the interview they
picked ~ the log and brought 1t at the
Lead of an orderly column into ouI
camp. At the beginning Of the wal
such a proceeding would have thrown
army headquarters into a panic. But
then the war was over and Sherman's
men We're in great favor. and the case
was not even reported. There was Al
that time an untIisciplined sort of q
street ear line on Fourteenth street
Almost the only patrons were the sol
diers OF the Fifteenth Corps, and as
| the cars did not run to suit them, they
formally seized the road and ran il fol
their own convenience. They called II
n military road for the convenience OF
the military. but permitted citizens t.
ride who cared to pay fares, The mat
ter was treated as n joke by tile com
pany and the, citizens. and the boys
after their frolic turned the road ovef
| TO the company in better condition
they insisted. than when ii came Into
their hands"
Il remember ease, said the Maior
| Gin which soldiers who came TO frolif
remained to work One night our brl
gade camped at Tullahoma, and fire
called the men to the crossing Of tho
| principal streets. The boys were at
first greatly amused at the efforts made
by home talent TO put out The fire. and
were free with the most absurd sugges-
lions. But when the matter became
serious and the few citizens were be-
wlldered and helpless the soldiers fell
( into ranks, organized quickly dozen
fire brigades, and under the direction
OF men who had fought big fires at
home worked half the night to save
the property Of their enemies. They
| checked and after time mastered the
fire. but from first 10 last they bore
/ themselves like soldiers OF fr0lic. ex-
cept that they made business Of put
ting out the fire.
| That same brigade, after the terrific
battle Of Jan ?. 1863, at Stone River,
returned from the last charge against
Breckinridge's corps to their biYouac
Of the morning to find Ncgley's men
carrying off the rails out Of which they
had built rude shelters the night be
fore. Palmer's men hurFiedly stacked
arms. and by common Impulse sur
rounded. at full run, the rail experts
Of the other division. Both divisions
| Ind uorfipiuatad Ia tho etaarcse aud had