The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-21

really Joseph Finegan, at any early
age, he certainly grew homely fast up
to the time l knew him. He lived at
Sanford, Fla.
I am greatly indebted to DR.. r. P.
Myers, former surgeon in the c. S.
A, now residing in Honolulu, H. l.,
for a copy of the Sunday Advertiser of
that far-off city, in which l find a
full account of the G.. A. r. exercises
on Memorial Day 1t is due the Ad-
vertiser to state that in all my big
collection of such papers, it's illustra-
tons are the clearest and best that I
have ever seen. Few magazine illus
trations are superior. And to
my old comrade, Maj. Gen. Alexander
Mcdowell McCook, U. S. A. (retired),
has gone to his final rest. Ny first
war experience was with him in 1861,
while he was colonel of the First Ohio
Infantry, early in 1861 Gen. Robert
G. Schenck had a brigade of troops
that met with an ambuscade at Vienna,
between Washington and Falls Church.
The troops were on fiat cars when
the Confederates opened on them with
deadly artillery fire. They retreated
in great confusion, and camped On the
side of the road from Falls Church
to Washington. My regiment was or
dered to their relief, and then l made
Schenek-in fact, remained there
short time as temporary aide on Gen.
Schenck's staff / was, both surgeon
and chaplain, and attended the wound
ed and buried the dead. 1t being our
first actual experience in war, the
scenes of suffering and death made a
deep impression upon officers and men
alike.
My esteemed friend and former old
Bull Run foeman. Col. w. P. Price of
Dahlonega, Ga, contributed a very in
teresting article to the Sunny South
of Feb %, on the militia generals and
their soldiers of ante bellum days up
in the mountains, among the gold
mines. The article was full of historic
interest, as Gen. Winfield Scott, y. S.
A, was at one time stationed there,
and Col. Thomas ]. Rusk went from
Lumpkin county to Texas, where he
became Secretary of War and United
States senator of the young republic
In contrast to the old militia, with
their quaint uniforms, Col Price prints
fine photo-engraving of the cadet
Battalion of the North Georgia Mill
tary and Agricultural College, a mill
tary organization, creditable to any
similar college in the United Sattes
Col. Price is the worthy and patriotic
son of a noble sire-whose name he
bears-who was a brave officer in The
Florida Indian wars, and also COM
manded a company under Gen Scott
during the removal of the Georgia
Cherokee Indians. This is a belated
item, but one fun of historic interest.
II will be remembered that l took
exception 10 the way Gen. c. A. Evans
OF Atlanta belittled the use Of barbed
wire by the Spanish in the Cuban war.
A recent writer says "wire-cutting
pliers" have been added TO the equip
ment OF the Engineer Corps OF our
army as result Of the barbed wire
dcfenses about Santiago. THE useful
ness ~ the pliers he says. is obvious
since barbed wire has come 20 be such
an important factor iu the defense Of
fortified positions" The hind feet OF
fractoua mule and barbed wire are
two death-denling inventions. N has
been proven that the use 81 wire-cut-
ting pllers has saved many lives Of
soldiers who encountered barbed wire
obstacles when advancing under IRE
aNuinff fhe enemy ft ia true that
baF BED are q . tgms hat nes means