Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-11-30
SOLDIERS STORIES.
ENTERTAINING "REMINISCENCES
or THE WAR.
Graphic Account of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed on the Battlefield and In
camp-vsterans of che Rebellion Re-
cits Experiences of Thrilling Mature.

The year 1862 presented, for the
Union cause. some dark pictures in
tile War Of the Rebellion.
McClellan's operations against Rich
mond were a failure, ending in the
disastrous retreat to HarriSon's Land
ing. Fremont's campaign in the Shen-
andoah Valley was fraught with ca
lamity. popes movement against
Lees rear resulted finally in his own
defeat at the Second Battle Of Bull
Run, and the invasion of Maryland by
tie Confederate army under Lee,
Jackson and Longstreet. This tnva-
SION was characterized by the san
culinary contest at South Mountain.
the capture OF Harpers Ferry, with
some 1900 Union prisoners and int
mense comrissary and ordnance
stores. and the terribly severe but
fruitless battle of Antletam.
In the West, the condition the latter
part of the year was not more salts
factory. General George w. Morgan,
with $4,000 troops. was compelled 20
retreat from Cumberland Gap t. the
Ohio river, and General L. Kirby
Smith, with q .eteran army which de-
feated Generals Manson and Nelson
near Richmond, Ky. approached dis
tressingly close to Cincinnati and com
PEELED the concentration there of thou
sands of squirrel Hunters" from
Ohio and Indiana under General Lew
Wallace
General Bragg. with veterans who
fought at Shiloh and Corinth. had
footrace of Sc, eral hundred mile,
from Southern Tennessee into Ken
lucky, his competitor on parallel lines
being General Don Carlos Buell., with
the Army of the Ohio. Buell. reached
Louisville first. compelling Bragg to
move toward Frankfort. where he
spent some time in recognizing the
State government and recruiting men
for his depleted ranks.
While Bragg was receiving acces-
sions from Kentucky Buell. was Sc
curing thousands Of men from the
Western States, the fruit of lAe enlist
ment made in response TO President
Lincoln's cali for G0Go0 recruits for
three years or during the war Final
ly Buell. moved against his adversary,
and at Perryville. Oct. s, with but a
portion Of each army engaged. crossed
swords in bloody engagement
Bragg retired from the State. carrying
with him immense plunder. and took
strong position nj Aiurfreesboro,
Tenn ready to contest the field with
Rosecrans. the able successor Of Buell.
in command of the arr ?, whose name
had been changed uwhile from
that of the Army Of Ohio To thar
of the Army of the Cumberland
To complete matters, the elections
in number OF the loyal States were
not favorable TO the Union CAUSE. The
period was emphatieally dark. as win
be remembered by the battle-scarre1
veterans of those troubled times
One Of the regiments organized I'M
der President Lincoln's call in the au-
tumn of 1862 and placed under the d.
rcction of Brigadicr General ovincy
A. Gilmore at Lexington, Ky, was the
One Hundred and Twelfth Illinois In
fantry, Colonel Thos. J. Henderson.
afterward a Brevet Brigadler and a
member of Congress for ten years, be
ing its commander.
Colonel Henderson had been 10
North Central Illinois Il. prominent
lawyer and Republican politician. He
a well acquainted with Abraham
lcoln. in fact. hal as a mem
Of the State 7 e;;lsla urc supported
N several times for the United
States Senate. notaJ's so in the cele-
brated race mad, IN 1858 against the
Little Giant" Stephen A. Douglas,
the Democratic oracle ana idol Of the
State.
Though Colonel Henderson had been
in the service but a few months. Sc
rious illness in his family induced
them to request his return on leave of
absence, even for few days. He
presented the request TO General Gil
more, his superior officer. but was in
formed by him that recent stringent
orders from the War Department alb
solutely prohibited the granting of any
leaves of ahselce. General Gilmore.
however, sugges e,i 10 Colonel Hrnder-
son that he write to President Lincoln
and present tIs ease direct
Colonel Henderson finally wrote to
his friend ia Congress Hon. William
Kellogg, who presented The matter to
Mr. Lincoln. The reply. which was
not written by : secretary on n type
writer, is a clara cieristic one. 1t
shows. on the part of the great wa
President, recognition Of past sup
port but indicates what is still greater
a supreme regard fol his obligation TO
bring TO war 10 a speedy close by using
effectively the means provided for its
vigorous prosecution. The letter Is
historic document. and now meets the
public gaze for the first time. its use
having been granted 10 me by General
Henderson:
Executive Mansion.
Washl 1ton Dee. 20. 1862.
"Hon. 7. J. Henderson:
MY Dear Sir--Your letter Of the
Sth 10 Hon. w. nj Kellogg has just
been shown me You can scarcely
avarnstfy,ota tho r,Faoe1tra IL would