The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1903-07-30

Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battles,
Camp Fire. Festive Bugs, Etc, Etc.
| "The letter writer's Of the old UniOI
army" said the Major, "were queer
lot. Not a dozen men in company
had been in the habit Of writing let
ters. Scarcely one man in a company
had had training that fitted him t(
write for the press. And yet all tht
home newspapers wanted letters from
the soldiers. The first efforts of mos
Of the men were queer specimens ol
letter writing, but the boys developed
as rapidly on that line as they die
In learning the trade of the soldier
and not a few Of them became wei
known as newspaper correspondents
before the war was half over.
I'VE had one man in our regiment
who wrote regularly for two years
to leading newspaper without being
found out. He was a Lieutenant
with inclination toward literary work
and with a liking for the study OF
tactics and strategy. He wrote the
stories Of campaigns and battles with
desire simply to have the people al
home get fair idea Of military opera
tions. and his letters were as popular
In our own brigade as they were a,
home.
Zone day he wrote a letter on the
campaign for his newspaper and q
little later wrote a letter to a young
lady friend at home. The latter was
as long as his newspaper letter and
even more interesting in its details
Of everyday army life. In his hurry
to get the letters over to headquarters
In time for the carrier, he inclosed
the letter intended for the young lady
to the newspaper, ano the letter writ.
ten for the newspaper to the young
lady. He was greatly surprised a few
days later to receive a newspaper con,
tanning not his regular letter but his
private letter. beginning Dear c.
"The publishers. under ordinary cir
cumstances, would not have used let
ter coming into their hands in this
way, but in this case they were guided
by the law Of military necessity. Their
readers were hungry for news from
this particular brigade. and the letter
was published, creating a sensation
in the neighborhood where the parties
were known. Later the young lady
forwarded to the newspaper the letter
she had received. and that was pub
lished also. the two taken together be-
traying the identity Of the correspon-
dent.
mo. there was no romance. The
young lady in her next letter to her
friend in the army, explained that she
had received his letter by way Of the
newspapers, and also his letter for
the newspaper by mail. She thanked
him for double measure Of news. and
he in turn thanked her for taking his
blunder in so pleasant way. He
continued his correspondence to the
end Of the war. but did not see the
lady he lad addressed through the
newspaper until after her marriage.
He, In the meantime. had made a repu-
tation as a correspondent and had be-
come associated with one of the most
brilliant newspaper men of the day."
II remember a case," said the Cap
tain, 'in which a man who carried a
rife took ranks as a newspaper cor
respondent on a single letter hastily
written, on the battlefield. Our
wagon-master had ridden over to the
company to inquire how many of the
boys had been KIned or wounded, say
ing that he was going to Nashville
that night, and would send word from
there to the friends at home.
zone of the sergeants heard this re-
mark and said he would write a letter
to his father. which could be read at
the home village. giving news of the
boys and an idea Of the battle. A col
lection was maue Of odd scraps Of
paper from the men. and the sergeant
seating himself. wrote for an hour in
spite of the turmoil about him. He
OcSCTlUeu UTlcuy uOW we WcuC lutO
the fight, just where Jack, Bill. Joe
and Tom fell, described the charge
and retreat, and spoke Of the relations
our own fight bore TO the movements
Of the division and army.
1.-THE letter. II SO happened, carried
the first details of the battle to the
people Of central Ohio. 1t was read
aloud at the two stores In town. Men
hearing Of 1t in the country came gal
Looping into town to read it for them
selves. Some man carried 1t, as fast
as his horse could take him. to the
nearest daily newspaper. There is
was copied and printed that afternoon,
and 30, a week later, the writer of
II received three offers to act as special
war correspondent for as many diff
ferent daily newspapers. He accepted
one Of the offers and entered upon
career of adventure and
hard work. Chicago Inter Ocean.