The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-12-25


for his. country in the Civil War.
Mr.. Dickson enlisted in the year 1861
at Oshkosh, Wis, in the Third Wiscon-
sin Volunteers. At this time he was
but twenty years of age. His father did
not happen to be at home and he enlist
ed contrary to the wishes of his moth
er The latter applied to Governor
Lewis to have her son discharged and as
he was not of age her request was grant
ed. The sons absence from military SER
vice, however, was only temporary. AS
soon as his father, Thomas l.. Dickson,
came home he asked Alfred and the
younger son, James, why they had not
undertaken to assist in the defense of
their country. The result was that the
father and both sons enlisted in the
Thirty second Wisconsin Infantry, leav-
ing only their mother at the country
home near Oshkosh, the three men join
ing the camp in that city. The father at
that time was fifty-fve years old, but he
looked so much younger than he really
was that he had no difficulty in getting
himself enrolled in the service.
Day after day the encamped soldiers
waited to be sent off to the scenes of ac-
ton and day after day they were disap-
pointed and told they must wait longer.
Time and again their relatives and
friends came to bid them good bye
Among those who came to bid farewell to
Alfred Dickson was Miss Lilas Pierce, a
young lady to whom he had long paid
particular attention. It happened that
they were one day talking together about
the prospects of the mother remaining
on the farm all alone while the father
and two sons were absent in the SER
vice, and not unnaturally the two young
people came to the conclusion that the
best thing they could do was to get mar
ried Immediately. Accordingly on Oct. II,
1862, the knot was quietly tied and the
young wife went to live with her hus-
bands mother on the farm. A month
later the regiment broke camp and left
for the battle fields.
Alfred ana his father continued with
the regiment until it was finally muster
ed out in June, 1865. The younger son
James was less fortunate. The hardships
of military life were much for him to
endure and he contracted fatal disease
by reason of which he was discharged
and taken home by his brother who was
given leave of absence for this purpose.
James died at the home of his parents
in Wisconsin before he had reached his
majority. When the father and other son
returned after the war, the former was
in pretty fair condition, but the latter
was well nigh physical wreck, though
he had never been in the hospital until
within two months of the muster out.
Alfred never received a wound or even
scratch in battle. The nearest he ever
came to it was when on duty in Alabama
bullet severed the strap by which his
haversack was bound to him.
While serving with Sherman's forces
on their famous march through Georgia,
A. A. Dickson found an uncle of his
whom he had never seen, and who had
run away from home at the age of four
teen. Alfred's father, the runaway's
younger brother was only nine years old
when Lucerton Dickson grew tired of
parental restraint and determined to
throw it off. One day while A. A.
Dickson was on guard at his coloneFs
tent, stranger approached and claim
ed to be a Union man and said he would
like to have Ais property guarded. The
applicant was admitted to the presence
of the colonel who questioned him very
closely regarding his personal history
A. A. Dickson listened carefully. Inc
names, dates, and the family residence
at Mount Vernon, Ohio, cited by tho
stranger all correspondent exactly with
what Alfred's father had said about the
runaway and their family. The nephew
now introduced himself to his uncle and
the two clasped hands with HE warinest
friendship. The protection was grant.
ed and the younger man wasi himself one
of the six stationed to guard his uncle's
property.
:, It was several years after the wal
closed before Alfred Dickson's healtl
began to mend. In the year 1869 h
came west in the hope of gainin'
| strength. His father and mother an
wife all came and settled with him il
Mankato, the father disposing of al
his Wisconsin property.
The family never afterwards mad
their home anywhere outsideeof Manka
to. All lived here for years.. the fathe
working as an all around mechanic, an
the son as saw mill hand. The mothe
died here in 1873 and the father In 1881
Mr.. and Mrs. A. A. Dickson have ha
l six children four of whom survive
George Dickson, barber of Minneap'
lis; Charles Dickson, Minneapef
street car conductors Mrs. Alfred Mhi
. taker of Mineapohs; and Mrs hatt
J Belle Griffith of Tacoma, Wash. u
e boy died in infancy. Mrs. B, Barnar
another daughte-, died IN Mankato
u Feb. 10, 1903. Mrs. Alfred A. Dickst
:. herself on Aug 26, 1903.