The National tribune., 1902-06-05

I remained at home two months. under
the care of Drs. Mitchell and Rathbone
two men of high professional standing and
earnest supporters of the Union cause FOL
time they feared that l would never be
in condition TO return to the service: dur
ing the healing process the large muscles,
which had been lacerated for eight inches,
contracted to such an extent that the leg
formed right angle, but in good time the
leg began to resume its wanted shape.
Many of my old friends called to see me
from time to time. and our talk naturally
ran upon the war. The year3SG4 was
upon lis, and in November a President
was to be elected. l took occasion to dis
cuss the political situation and to urge
upon all with whom l came in contact
to support President Lincoln for re-elec-
ton. / insisted that no man who favored
the preservation of the Union by war
could consistently support the antl-war
party and an anti-war ticket.
/ found that the Union League had an
organization at Harrisburg, and that
many of the prominent men of the county
were members. l was invited to join the
League. l sent in my application, and as
soon as l was able to go out L attended
a meeting and was initiated as member.
The League met in the Courthouse at
/ o'clock in the afternoon. While the
meeting itself was private. the assembling
of the members was public. There was no
secrecy as to who belonged to the organ
ization-in fact. the plan adopted was to
let it be known throughout the county
who the members WERE and the object of
the organization. namely. to stand by the
Union, to render every possible assistance
to the Government in its struggle to save
the Union, and to give aid and comfort
to the soldiers of the Union and their fam
lilies. The natural result of this policy
was to bring together in this organization
the friends of the Union.
Throughout southern Illinois the ma
jority of the leading men joined the
League. This movement had powerful
influence in molding the politics of that
section of the State and of bringing to the
support of the Union Republican party
thousands of men who had heretofore vot-
ed he Democratic ticket.
The Winter of 1S63-'6t was remarkable
for extreme cold and the great depth Of
snow. the whole country for weeks was
covered with snow, and sleighing was a
common means of transportation from
town TO town. About the middle of JAN
uary my father, Maj. John Raum, accom-
panied by Mr.. Theodore Steyer, drove 30
miles in sleigh from GOlconda to Harris
burg to pay me a visit. My father was
then in his I'D year. He was hale and
hearty, and stood the cold weather splen-
didly. He was an ardent supporter of the
war for the Union. Both myself and my
only surviving brother. John NJ. Raum,
entered the service with his entire appro
baton. My father had served in the War
of 1872 and also in the Black Hawk war,
and had taken an active part in encour-
aging enlistments for the Mexican war,
In which three of my unclcs participated,
one of them being killed at the battle of
Buena Vista.
This visit was n great pleasure TO me,
besides being strong stimulus to duty.
While he expressed the warmest sympa-
thy for me and his hopes for my speedy
recovery, he was anxious TO see me re-
turn to my command ard to go forward
to the end of the great struggle. He was
born July IA. 1913. six years after the
adoption of the Constitution. He had wit
messed in his youth the growth of the /
country under the Republic, and in his
old age he could not endure the idea of
the dissolution of the Union. His father
had served in the Continental Army as
Corporal in Benjamin Weiser's company
lii German regiment. The regiment was
engaged at Trenton Dee. PC. 1116. and at
Princeton Jan. 3, 1717, and was in Gen.
Sullivan's Division, which was in n cam
paign against the Indians. and now he was
proud of the fact that he had two sons
able and willing to bear arms ins what he
considered the greatest war of the ages
in the interest of humanity. The atti-
tude of my father, which was thorough
ly Endorsed by my mother and my wife.
l must confess was 4 great comfort and
inspiration to me.
BACK TO THE ARMY
On Feb. 10 1 parted with my family,
and started to the front. / had been kept
thoroughly advised of the movements of
my brigade and the whole of the Army of
the Tennessee.
The Fifteenth Corps had been moved
westward from Chattanooga, extending
from Bridgeport to Decatur, Ala. The
headquarters of the Fifteenth Corps was
at Huntsville, Ala, Gen. Logan in com
mand. My brigade was also there, and
constituted a part of the garrison of the
place. Coz. Viewer in command. i arrived
at Huntsville Feb i. The men had all
returned from their veteran furlough; they
had enjoyed the trip; their friends at
home gave them all a rousing welcome.
These boys who had entered the service
without military knowledge or experience
had acquired both; they had campaigncd
under the two greatest captains of the
age-Grant and Sherman; they were now
veterans, enlisted for q second term of
three years. Is it to be wondered that
they excited enthusiasm amongst the peo-
pie at home wherever they appeared?
Nothing was too good for them: they were
welcome to every house; the latch string
of every door hung out. They were rec
ognized as heroes fighting in the great
war for the preservation of their country.
i visited each regiment in its camp,
going from company TO company, to see
and talk with both officers and men.
WAS invited by many of the soldiers to
look in on them at their quarters, and see
how comfortable they had made them
selves. 1t was q pleasure to me 10 do so.
/ visited my own regiment. the 5Gth H..
Lieut.-Col. John Z. Hall commanding.
Col. Hall had recovered from wound
received at Vicksburg, and had rejoincd
the regiment after the battle of Mission
airy Ridge. The regiment was stationed
al Whitesburg. on the Tennessee River,
six miles south of Huntsville. Whites
burg is the river landing for Huntsville,
and is reached over splendid turnpike
road
l was most heartily received. i was
still their Colonel, although commanding
the brigade. j never saw so beautiful a
camp. Ii was laid off in perfect order.
The streets were of suitable width, and
had sidewalks, along which We're planted
cedar trees, of which the woods of north
ern Alabama are filled. The officers occu-
pied wall tents. 1t was the quarters of
the men, however, that especially attract
ed my attention. They had built of plank
the walls of their quarters about five feet
high, and had used their dog tents to
make the roofs; fireplaces and chimneys
had been erected, hunks for four persons
for each house had been built, and each
had good comfortable beds and bedding;