The National tribune., 1904-08-25
THE NEW MADRID CAMPAIGN.
Gen. John Pope's Masterly Operations to Cap
ture the Rebel Stronghold.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: 1t is in
deed an interesting pleasure to read the
very many personal historic "reminiscences
you publish. 1t is AZ years; lifetime:
yes, half century. nearly, has passed; and
yet all the old boys take pleasure to relate
the humble part they severally took in the
worlds greatest war for civilizatiOn-the
upbuildng Of patriotic Republic. So that
our glorious United States is truly the land
of the free, always the home Of the brave;
really, the only government where selfde-
velOpment and mans efficiency can elevate
him to the highest legislative, judicial and
executive places in Il great Nation.
l know not how others felt in 1861, but
my mind was intoxicated with love of
country. My employers, whose foreman |
was. tried to persuade me to stay at
work, ard not make fool of myself
They told me mot to enlist and be shot at
for $13 a MONTH" But no human infiu-
ence could prevent me from joining my
young compahions who volunteered.
Comradc John Sven. Of Galien, Mich,
wrote an article on the capture of New
Madrid and Island No. 10. which / read n
second time. Can it be true, that in March
of this year it was ~ years since l was an
humble private in the ranks of that splen-
did army of 200 600 men who on March 3.
1861, started to campaign for three years.
read about us in The National Tribune!
Yes, that was my old regiment, and ! was
one of those boys of '61, and ! have the
pleasure of reading an account by COM
rade who now resides i'm Michigan. After
all these years that brave, gallant, bright
genius, Col. J. w. Bissel, who organized
the 1st Mo. Eng. receives the credit due
his memory. He has passed beyond to the
everlasting camping ground. There never
was more active Colonel or a braver or
more da ring American who wore the blue
than he.
Well. l am forgetting all about New
Madrid and Island No. 10 For 80 years
my spare time has been utilized i'm reading
the military history and manuvers of our
own Generals. and histories Of Napoleon,
Frederick the Great, Cesar, and Hanniba !.
Not n solitary Generals name has lived in
history but those who fought their armies
on the offensive; who took chances, orig
mated bold movements and ventured.
Well, the first days march of Gen. john
Popes army on New Madrid we made
about 20 miles. Toward evening, March
3, our Engineer company had to construct
Il corduroy road over q mile of swamp. AS
we came on high ground we met the cav
airy. who had given the Swamp Fox.
Jeff Thompson. a run for his life. The
boys ran his swamp angels so fast that
Jeff lost his hat, and the cavalrymen had a
few other trophies They seemed delight
ed. Thompson made n flying retreat, and
got away to live to fight some other day.
Gen. Jefferson Thompson had n remark
able history. which ut that time none of us
knew. When he captured any Of our men
he treated them well. which seemed
strange to us. for nearly all of the Mis-
souri, rebels--the independent commanders
abused our men when prisoners. Thomp-
son had been Mayor of st. Joseph pol
shed political diplomat Of the old Demo
cratic. wel-bred, refined school. He be-
longed to the class Of shareholders who
took parental care of their negroes.
Whatever became of Jeff Thompson after
tie capture Of Memphis / have never
heard.-lIESRY FAIRBACK, 1st Mo. Eng.