The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-11-17
THE BATTLE-FlELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The Blue and the Gray Review Incl.
dents Of the Late War, and In q
Graphic and Interesting Manner

the Chickamauga battlefield to locate
the camp Of the First Illinois In 1898.
couldn't find it, or at least 1 could
not locate 1t by any Of the old land
marks. All traces Of the old camp
have been obliterated, and new camps
Of a more permanent character have
taken the place Of the old ones. In a
few months other changes will have
taken place, giving to the regular CT
airy stationed in the park the me
barracks and camp Of the country.
1.-The Seventh Cavalry Is there now,
the troopers riding along the roads
that we're the scenes Of many dashing
soldier adventures In September, 1863.
An old surgeon riding with me over
the field pointed out where q full reg
iment of rebel cavalry crossed the
river in the rear Of his brigade and
galloped by log shanty behind which
he had just established his field hos
pital. The men in gray seemed OBJ
hvious Of the men in blue firing in
front and the men In blue were as
oblivious Of the presence Of the enc
my's cavalry In their rear. That Il
Illustrated, the doctor said, what mix
up there was at Chickamauga.
"A little later our driver, lSinting
to large mandatory near the base
Of Lookout Mountain, said: In spite
Of the mtx-up. some of the boys were
lucky in the outcome. There Is a Eel
low named Patten, an Illinois man,
by the way, who is worth $1,000, 900
because Of a leg shattered by a car
non ball over in the park, before
was a park. He was so severely
wounded that he could not be sent
North with the other wounded Of the
battles hereabout, and was still in
hospital when the war closed. The re-
suit was he remained here, went into
business, and is now worth $4,000
600. If his leg had not been crushed
by cannon ball. of IL he had gone
home lame, he might have lost his
chances 10 become millionaire
This started my friend, the doctor.
Calling my attention to the monu-
ment Of an Illinois regiment that lost
i've color bearers in climbing Mission
airy Ridge, he told the story Of an eld-
erly man who had two well-grown
boys who stopped not long ago at the
bottom of the almost precipitous as
cent to discuss the possibility of SOL
diers charging up such a steep in
cline. The boys, almost young men.
thought the thing might be done, but
didn't show much interest In the mat
ter. Then the old fellow said: Boys,
I was one Of the color te1rers put out
Of action in that charge. 1 reache,
the top, where that monument stands.
That figure holding up the flag means
me-
1.-The boys opened their eyes wide
and looked their father over critically.
BE caught the meaning Of the smile in
their eyes, and said, No, couldn't do
1t now. I've served my time. But can
you do it? Can you climb with moth
Ing in your way where 1 climbed
against furious rifle fire and in the
face Of good fighters? Start right now
and let me see you do 1t Up the
boys went for few steps, and then
stopped out Of breath; then on again
until at last they reached the top
and dropped exhausted. Then the old
gentleman applauded, and when the
boys came scampering down, said, old
Pap Thomas would like that The
boys replied, We don't care for Pap
Thomas. Our own pap is good enough
for u.s."
Speaking of General Thomas" said
Dan R. Anderson, The interviewed in
my interest once, when I was the sub
ject of bitter controversy. II there
are any Of the Sixteenth Illinois boys
living they will bear me out In saying
chat from their standpoint l was In a
bad scrape, but here Is my side Of
the story: The outfit Of the general
field hospital Of the Army Of the Cum
berland was being moved from Steven
son to Chattanooga. 1t was taken as
far as Bridgeport by rail, and from
there on fiatboats In tow Of steamboats,
to Kelley's ferry. As commissary In
charge 1 had purchased at Stevenson
q large quantity Of cabbage, potatoes
and canned fruits, and loaded all In
with the regular hospital stores.
when we landed, corporal said
be would, under orders, take charge
Of the goods. l sent him about his
business, and put some of my own
men on guard. Pretty soon the cor
poral returned with a sergeant and ten
men and again demanded the goods.
I asked to see their orders. The ser
geant explained that he was acting
under lie instructions Of Colonel Ca
hill, of the Sixteenth Illinois, COM
handing the post, and had no orders.
declined to surrender the goods. and
the sergeant and his men marched
away.
"Then there was trouble all around.
The assembly was sounded In camp,
and pretty soon the post commander
came down with his full regiment.
Colonel Cahill stated that he had or
ders from General Thomas to confis-
cate everything In the shape of COM
missaEy goods landed at that point and
forward them at once to Chattanooga
for the use Of the army. / asked
10 see copy Of the order, and asked
also for a receipt. He declined to show
the one or give the other, and 1 told
him he must take the goods by force.