Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-07-12
SOLDIERS STORIES.
ENTERTAINING "REMINISCENCES
OF THE WAR.
Graphic Account of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed on the Battlefield and in
Camp-Veterans of the Rebellion Re-

Between the waters of the Atlantic
and those OF the Cape Fear river. be-
low Wilmington. Federal Point inter
poses Il scarcely effective barrier. ana
at times, when the storm RACES, parts
OF it are submerged by the waves At
a point a mile above the southern oN-
tremity of this peninsula an unbroken
ridge stretches across il from river ia
sea, and 10 the southwark the ground
is dotted with scattered heaps of sand.
rounded and beaten down until they
look like natural hillockS, although they
are, in fact, the work OF man. Out in
front is nothing but a level waste
where. when the wind blows and the
sands move before it, sun bicached
bones CLEAN white in the yellow drift,
The sand heaps are parts of . ruined
fort the ridge was lis land face, ana
the bones are the last vestiges of men
who once charged desperately across
these sands To storm the work which
then stood, proudly defiant, upon the
now dcsolatc scene.
On Oct. >. 1892, in the forenoon,
steamboat left Wilmington and pro
teeied down the river to point oppo-
site the upper end Of the old fort Here
the engines We're stopped and small
boat WAS brought alongside to take of
the three passengers who wished 10 80
ashore.
The first to step into the boat WAS Il
man of powerful frame, straight ana
tall. He was. perhaps 10 years Of age.
but his strong body held ii spirit still
aggressive and fun of restless energy.
This was Gen. Creighton. who twenty
seven years before, had led a success
ful assault upon The fort.
After him came Col Austin. who, as
commander of the defensive forces,
had yainly tried to cheek the onslaught
of trcighton'S men. He was slender
and gray haired, soft ana suavc of
speech. but those who had known him
in his lighting days said he was Zero
cious as II tiger. impiacabic ANA I'M
yielding. In stepping into The boat he
iimped slightly effect of wound
he had received in the battle.
The General and the Colonel had
come to visit the scene of the conflict
to settle some disputed points as To
the military tactics by which the fort
had been captured,
The third person to enter the boat
was Bunphy, a reporter who had come
with the two old soldiers to write up
the events of the trip for his paper.
"Ah, General, how things change"
said Col. Austin. when you came here
last you had an army at your back
and you came to kill and destroy. |
told my men dozen times that day to
take you for Il target, and | wonder
that You escaped
Yes, all is indeed changed. " answer
ed the General placing his hand aflcc
tionately upon the Colonel's shoulder.
III is a wonderful evidence Of The
goodness that lies deep down in every
heart that We, who once were enemies.
are now the best of friends"
And sometimes feel, General. that
our friendship is the more sympathetie
because of our former strife. in which
we learned 10 know each Others worth;
and, after all, it was not a personal
quarrel"
As they talked Tie boat touched the
shore, and the men stepped out upon
the sand, and stood silently looking
about them until the steamers whistle
sounded signal to get under way.
Then Dunphy spoke:
You know, gentlemen, the captain
said he would stop for us this after
noon: our time is limited"
After consultation they decided 10 20
down 10 the southern point Of the pc
ninsula, begin the examination there
and work back 10 the landing place.
This was done, ami three hours later
they approached the ridge which had
been the forts northern wall
That said Col. Austin. pointing
with his cane. was the land face Of
the fort. II was twenty fcetc high ana |
twenty-five feet thick
And there is the left salient. where |
my column struck the work" said thc |
General, clambering up the ruined par
apet, followed by the others. Here |
were the third and fourth tlaycrscs,
where we had the hottest hand .to.l hand |
Sighting OF The day. Your men corldut |
stop rs"
The Colonel frowned, ana Dunp3y. /
!,