The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1902-12-04
THElBOOMING CANNON
RECiTALS OF CAMP AND BAT.
TIE INCIDENTS.
Survivors of the Rebellion Relate
Many Amusing and Startling Inci-
dents of Marches, Camp Life, FOrag-
ing Experiences and Battle Scenes.


ing Experiences and Battle Scenes.
Forty years ago" said the Major.
things seemed going To the dogs. The
year 1862 was "a blue one for the SOL
dier in the field. The rebs seemed
strong in front. and the people al home
seemed divided in our support In
Illinois the Republicans We're so alb
sOrbed in the war that the Democrats
in November, 1861. elected n majority
Of the delegates to the constitutional
convention here that met in 1862. and
that convention was as much a thorn
in our sides as Vallandigham was for
the Ohio boys
THE constitutional convention.
through one of its committees. asked
for reports from the several regiments
Qs to whether troops from Illinois
were well equipped and as we'll cared
for as troops from other States. This
impertinence reused the soldiers to ac-
ton. Major Quincy Mcneil of the Sec
Ond Illinois cavalry. wrote the COM
mittee declining to answer any ques-
tiOns. and adding: You We're elected
10 make a constitution for the State
Of Illinois. Why don't you do it,
This remark Of Major McNeil's
made him very popular in the army.
and good many soldiers wrote home
to the same effect. and in the end the
work of the convention was rejected.
the soldiers i'm the field being almost
unanimously against it. However. the
elections in November. 1862. gave lit
tie comfort to the boys in the army.
In fact. the first note of comfort that
came to us in 1863 was when Gov
lature home, and when Brough car
ried Ohio against Vallandigham The
latter came in October while we We're
penned up in Chattanooga. and the
Army of the Cumberland made 1t a
personal natter
Under the Ohio laws" said the Ser
geant. "every soldier from that State.
no matter whether he was serving in
Kentucky or Missouri or West Vir-
ginia regiment. was entitled to vote.
Ii there were only three Ohio voters
In regiment the boys insisted that
they must vote. and at least two Of
the Kentucky regiments the major
ity of the men were residents and
voters in Ohio. They were never more
considerably treated than on that day.
when Illinois. Indiana. and Michigan
soldiers surrounded the polls to see the
Buckeyes plunk 1t to the COpperheads.
"All were very quiet. however. par
ticularly the men who came In from
the outposts. relieved from duty that
they might cast their ballots Late
that night one of the squads was re-
turning to the picket line. when the
Colonel came over from division head
quarters to say that a dispatch report
eel that Brough had been elected by
10000 majority, home vote. Instantly
II seemed TO me that great camp was
awake. In ten minutes bands were
playing and men were cheering on
the right. on the left, and down the
center.
The men headed for the outposts
swung OF at an eager step. They
went out from the intrenched lines
into the plain that lay between the
Union army and the rebel army.
perched on Missionary Ridge and
Lookout Mountain. and marched erect
to the outmost Union vidette line. and
shouted to the rebel pickets in front:
'Sixty thousand majority for Brough.
Put that in your pipe. Johnny, and
smoke it, And. a Johnny replied sar-
castically: oh 1t is BrOugh, is it? 1
thought maybe you had captured a
corporal
But the soldiers in both armies un-
derstood the significance Of the vic
tory The people at home were no
longer Indifferent. They had aligned
themselves with the men who were
fighting In front. The boys didn't
know John Brough. but he stood for
the cause they were fighting for, and
that was enough. The beleagured
army in Chattanooga was vibrant
with the spirit Of victory. and the be-
sieging army on ridge and mountain
was correspondinsly depressed"
MY first vote" said the Captain.
"was for Lincoln in 1864. Our division
was near Atlanta. and the ballot-box
was in the rear end of an army wagon.
We were even then preparing for the
march to the sea. and the regiments
voted as they were concentrating for
Ehe new movement. When we knew
that Lincoln had been reelected Sher-
man cut loose from the Atlanta line.
\nd jubilantly We marched eastward
hnd southwark. We had done our best
for Old Abe at the polls. and we pro-
eeeded to do our level best in the field.
1 never go into an election booth now
without thinking of the old army
wagon near Atlanta and my first
yote"-Chicago Inter-Ocean.
|
Watchman's Historic Chair.
James Etter, dOOrkeeper in the War
Department, frequently occupied a
chair from which he could not be in
T. II