The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-06-25
Companies H and Of the Thirty-third
Wisconsin Hold Their Annual
Meeting With S. 3. CrOpIey.
STIRRING DAYS OF WAR RECALLED.
Twelve Members of the Two Famous Ke-
nosha Companies Gather Again Many
Fallen by the Wayside Since the War

Recalling the thrilling experiences
Of Civil War, twelve of the surv1v-
ors of Companies Fl and ! OF the
Thirtv.third Wisconsin Volunteer In
fantry, met in annual reunion at the
home of Samuel B. Cropley in the
town Of Pleasant Prairie Saturday
night and Sunday. The reunion was
one Of the most delightful festivals OF
"Reminiscences ever held in the county
and the memories recalled during the
day brought tears and laughter to the
members of the two famous companies
A number of invited guests were pres
ent and most of the members OF the
companies brought their wives with
them making the number at the re-
union more than thirty,
Among the guests who were mem
bers of the two companies were J. p.
Drom, Julius Kidder, T. G. Kearns of
Chicago, H. e. Benedict of Richmond,
George Hale, DR.. ]. L. C1eary and A
"A. Carter of Kenosha, David Pierce
aud James EDDY of Bristol, H. A.
King, and S. B. Cropley of Pleasant
Prairie and Lyman Newell Of Russell,
Ill. During the years number Of the
members of the companies had answer
ed the final bugal call, and the incid-
ents of their deaths were recalled with
tenderness and tears.
After the dinner was over Sunday
afternoon the members of the company
gathered under the trees, and many of
the old stories of war service were
retold. The most famous Of the guests
was J, e. Drom,who was for fourteen
months in Andersonville prison. The
members of Companies H and never
tire of hearing the story Of Inspector
Drom. He with, Warren Carr another
Kenoshalcounty soldier we're captured
by the Confederates near Canton,
Miss. The men had been on forag-
ing expedition and they were ordered
TO be shot.
The two were placed on a log and
detachment of soldiers were ordered
to shoot them. Carr was one of the
favorites of thea regiment and one of
the most daring .,men in the United
States army. Looking into the muz-
zles of the guns of the detachment
Carr reviled hisS caPtors and deied
them to shoot. In time to save the two
men an order arrived from superior
officer and they swere sent to Ander-
sonville where they remained until
the final muster out. Mr.. Drom told
Sunday the storyaof the horrors of
Andersonville and the terrors that the
prison had for the Union soldier who
fell into the hands of sthe Confeder
ates.
Recalling the history of the two COM
panies the old comrades in arms spent
a very pleasant day singing the songs
of the army and telling again the old
stories that had been Rheard years ago
about the camp fires of the South.
The two companies did loyal service
during three Of the hardest years Of
the war.
Both companies:...w organized in
Kenosha county one under Capt Cook
and the other under Capt. Linsley of
the town of Paris. They made their
first stand against the enemy at Cold
Water, Miss, and in this battle Capt.
Linsley, who twas one of Kenosha
county's bravest soldiers, fell mortally
wounded. This was the first taste of
the carnage of war for the Kenosha
boys, but after this battle they became
famous ash lighters. For forty days
and as many nights the men were in
the rifle pits at the siege of Vicksburg.
At the battle cf jackson, Miss, they
took an important part and they
marched with General Sherman on the
Meridian expedition. With General
Banks they,wenton the Red River ex-
petition andEreturned in time to take
part in the bloody battle Of Tupelo
where they left two of their members
sleeping on the,battle field.
Their forced smarch of 329 miles
after Confederate General Price when
they returned to St. Louis with more
than six hundred prisoners is noted in
history as one of the greatest events
of the war. They were present at the
battle of Nashville latter which they
followed Hood through the hills and
marshes of Tennessee.going from East
port to the lGulf and arriving in time
to take part inthe battle of Spanish
Fort. After the battle forty-seven
members of the regiment we're among
the lists of dead and wounded. There
the regiment had short rest after
which they made their last stand at
the battlcsof Selma. AT the close of
the war theNregiments including the
two Kenosha companies were muster
ed out at Vicksburg.
Fighting side by sside during the
three years the menkin the two com