Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-05-16
THE BATTLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The Blue and the Gray Review Incl.
dents of the Late War, and in a
Graphic and Interesting Manner

Il had a pleasant reminder of the |
war the other day" said the Captain.
1T CAME in the shape Of 4 silver cream
pitcher and sugar bowl, accompanied
by well-written letter. which my peO-
pie liked very much. The letter
abounded Ia references the significance
Of which was apparent only TO myself
After one of the hot engagements OF
the war l came upon a young col0red
man who had been between the lines
and who was like man paralyZed. /
spoke reassuringly to him and hurried
after the retreating enemy.
In the evening some of my men
brought the young negro into camp,
and as l passed the group l heard the
boys explaining TO the young fellow
that he was free and could do as he
pleased. They wanted to know what
lee was going TO do about 1t, and init
mated pretty strongly that if they
Were in his place they would take the
job of cooking for certain mess in
their own company AS ! passed the
colored man came toward me and
stammered that he didn't know what
tho massas meant, but if he could do
as he pleased he would do whatever
wanted him 10 do.
lie became my cook and man of all
work at company headquarters and
remained with me to the end of the
war I took him home with me and in
due time established him in business.
Then / came West, and after my loca-
tiou in Chicago did not hear from my
proege for thirty years, He. in the
meantime, had changed location. had
proSpered in business. ana after thirty
years waiting sent me the silver
creamer ana sugar, ana letter testi-
flying to his gratitude ana affection.
liked that. YOU know, and was rs
glad to hear Of his success in life ms |
would he to hear of the success of an
old comrade in arms
That reminds me- said the Major
sof Senah, the first cook of our mess
in the old company. Senah was short
for Seneganban. a name the boys
gave our cook the day they hired him.
This was in the first year of the war.
when the status Of the coored brother
had not been determined. and when
the question of harboring a slave was
one to be lodged The boys didn't
Know whether the Senegambian was a
runaway slave or not, and they asked
no questions. They hired him to cook,
and, as they put it. treated him like
white man. Senah could cook. and he
was a good forager. lie was as loyal
sssad faithful as a house log, and seem
ingly as contented.
In our first engagement Senah, hear
ing that mess number foh' was IN n
tight place caught up musket and
started for the extreme front. where
our company was hard pressed, The
Colonel, seeing a colored man with Il
musket in his hands, an incendiary
proceeding in those days ordered Sc
nah to drop the gun and 20 TO the rear
swearing he would have any darky
shot who was caught with gun in his
hands. Senah dropped the gun, but
went on toward the front.
IAN hour later the Colonel came face
to face with the Senegambian again
but he didn't swear, The big negro
was carrying two Of our mess. who
had been severely wounded, to the
rear. He would carr. Joe who had
been struck in the leg, pckaback for
fifty yards, and then putting him In
comfortable position. would 90 back
and take Charlie, who had been shot
through the body, up i'm his arms and
carry him to where he bad left Joe.
The woods were full Of rebels and the
wounded had been left where they fell
when our line retrcated. Tho Spncgam-
bian had seen the last scramble and
had gone forward to the rescue
lie had just got Joe and Charlie into
the zone of safety when the Colonel
spied him and rode toward him with
intent to spank the negro with his
sword, but when he saw what Senah
had been doing, he said quietly.
Didn't | order you to go to the rear
The Senegambian. with Joe on his
back. said, You did, massa, for fact;
but land Of Goshen. was turned
round like and couldn't find de rcah.
| kept gropin' around until | found
mess number fob, and lien | knows
what l has to do I has to get mess
number fob ont Of trouble; makes no
diff'unce who tells me not to.
wouldn't mind Jeff Davis hisself, if he
tell me not TO. / just tote en- out if /
be shot the next mint. Oats De kind
Of a SeneGambian / u.s. shoh' This
speech won the Colonel over. and re-
ported by Joe to the company, It made
the Senegambian very popular. Later
he carried rife in a colored regiment.
and after the war went into the regu-
lar cavalry. I saw him at Fort Mis-
souIa as late as 1880 and he was a fine
looking soldier. tall. straight. muscu-
lar and with liking for the front"
Il wonder. said the Rough Rider.
IF / didn't see him at san Juan hin?
Mo- Too o16s VOL p..siItl- Rut