Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-02-06
THE BAT'rLE-FIELDS.
DID SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The Blue and the Gray Review Incl.
dents OF the Late War, aud in a
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell OF Camp, March and Battle.

Tell OF Camp, March and Battle.
The late Rear Admiral Daniel Am
men, who as a boy, was a schoolmate
with Gen. Grant in Ohio, and who was
appointed TO the naval academy on the
same day that young Grant was APP
pointed an army cadet, was known
among his fellows in the service as
"the interchangeable student of science"
He invented many improvements of
more or less value TO the service He
also attained as much prominence as
any man whose name has been con-
nected with the tranS-iSthmian canal
question, for he was commander of
one of the naval surveying expedi-
tions in 1866, and personally plotted
the course for the proposed canal from
Greytown TO Lake Nicaragua, He also
designed the katahdin, known as the
Ammen ram. but which has not yet
shown her value as war vessel. says
the New York Tribune.
An amusing story is told of him in
connection with one of his fads of
Keeping record with a peslomete~ of
the distance he would traverse, wheth-
eT on duty on board ship or on shore
Tor exercise. While only a lieutenant
and watch officer on one of the wood
en- ships of the early days. he had IL
young midshipman, George Rlgelow,
rs Junior watch officer. whose duty
u was TO look after the forward part
OF the ship. His slack attention TO
duty caused Ammen TO suspect him of
going to sleep on watch or sitting
down on the gun carriage. instead of
Keeping his eye on the crew on deck
and below
So one night Ammen said to the
MILDLY as he displayed the pedometer,
Did YOU ever try one OF these mstru-
mentsT'
Bigelow had not only never tried
one, but had never before seen a pc
dometer, which fact he admitted. Then
Ammen continued:
1T is an instrument that notes the
number of movements of the ship.
either rolling or pitching, IN a given
time. Put ii into your pocket and test
it,"
At the end of the four-hour watch
Ammen asked for the pedometer, and
as he looked at 1t. he savagely re
marked:
Mr.. Bigelow, you are not an eff
ficient officer sir; you've neglected
your duties, sir. for | find that you've
not walked so much as half mile
You should not have spent so much
time In sitting down on the gun car
l.iage, sir. I've mind to report you
TO the captain. sir. but I'll be Ienient
with you this time. sir"
The next time the two officers were
on watch together Ammen gave Blge~
low the pedometer for another test.
But Bigelow was determined not to
he fooled again, so he went forward.
took seat under the forecastle. and
then, with the little tell-tale instt1l-
ment in his hand. he waved it quickly
back and forth. after the motion Of
walking, but at a swifter pace At
the end of four hours he reported TO
Anmen. and as the latter took the
pedometer III his hand and glanced at
ii he said in a most serious tone:
i see you are improving, you're
improving. sir; you've walked just
twenty-four miles and fifteen feet. a
most remarkable distance In four
hours on the deck Of ship with n
turn at less than ilf,y feet each time"
Col. EIIsworth's Zouaves.
Ellsworth's zouayes We're recalled a
few days ago to the minds of all who