Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1904-05-28
; Our College Boys
; In The Rebellion
~ ~ ~
BY A CONTR BUTOR

"Fort Sumter has been fired upon
and we've all got to go south and pu
down the rebellion. The whole col
lege is going. Each class as com
pany."
Going to gymnasium drill abou
four o'clock on the afternoon of Apri
II, 1861, the writer found an exciteC
class of young men, and these were
the salutations he received. The
news had just been received. We we're
drilled as military, class by class, but
the order that day had not as yet
been given to "fall i'm Ours was the
sophomore class. This was one of
the leading inland colleges of the
country. I suppose the excitement
was the same in other colleges all
through the north.
At evening prayers our college
president reviewed the situation and
advised us to stay by the college and
await developments.
There had been so much commo-
ton, and so many threats of war
through the country that we young
men had come to the conclusion that
that was about all there was of it.
Bnt we were startled out Of that
opinion. The rebellion developed
quickly from that date.
Four southern students received
word to come south. Three of them
left on friendly terms with their fell
low students and were escorted by
them to the railroad station.
One of these fell as young rebel
officer upon southern battle field.
Another became a foreign mission
airy after his term of war service.
The third is lost to nv knowledge
The fourth student "breathing out
threatenings and slaughter" also left
college.I do not know that he had the
courage OF his convictions. do not
know his after life.
From the historic April IL. 1861,
until the close of the struggle IN 1865,
there was constant change in the col
lege
Of the seven classes,(six contem-
poraneous with our own class) one
third of the students were in the
struggle for longer or shorter periods. |
Compared with the Civil war, our
brief struggle with Spain ought rot |
to be dignified with the name of war.
The young people of this present
generation have little conception of
what war truly is. A pail seemed to
hs on the country during the rebell-
on. Our thoughts were in and of the
seat of contest.
hom7 influences kent many in col.
lege. Disabilities kept some. But
one by one thew enlisted, until the
depletion was noticeable. After the
opening weeks of preparation the re-
turns came back. The first death ,
was the son of our revered president.
The young officer distinguished him
,olf in his first battle and was twice ,
voan>d led. At the second engage ,
nent, IA IT, beaten enemy fed. the
'ouug >adjutant, only twenty one t
'ears Of age leaped upon q captured f
annon to hurrah. A retreating SOL 7
Ter Of the enemy turned and shot =
i'm dead.
Two months later another fellow 7
tudent oaly nineteen years of age y
10" ,ASS'' sickness. He was one of |
~. AZ 90 sbt to fall by disease, which is
Ways more fatal than bullets. r
Four others are recorded as dis c
from the army through sick e
ness, while there were manv others =
of whom no record was t
made. OF the one hundred and
thirty-nine who enlisted, twenty Il"
eight ia all, one fifth CT all. suffered i
from extreme sickness during their q
erm of service. This is beyond the /
usual record of ordinary sickness. /
What were they but boys anyway? a
Tn we're killed outright in battle, c
one out Of fourteen of those who en-
listed, and with the eight who died
from sickness, there were eighteen
deaths 10 all, one, seventh Of the total
enlistment of the seven classes, and .
ono twenty-second of their member,
ship.