Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-05-31
ESTABLISHED 1855
COLONEL ,RUsR IN WAR TIMES.
DR.. Gott Tells Story About Comrade In the Dark
Days Of War.

My neighbor, the venerable DR.. w. A.
Gott, surg on of Gen. Rusk's regiment,
the 25th Wisconsin, called ON me today
and | drew from him the following
story: G, V. PORTER.
The same day that the battle of Sal
kahatchie Swamp was fought by Sher-
mans sarmy on its march to the see,
Gen. Mower who commanded the 1sb
division OF the 10th army corps, learned
that large bLdy Of rebels on the
south side of a swamp Elevated
ground aud had taken St position
commanding narrow =. running
through the swamp Y.S 9r, anxious
to dislodge them, orde Col J. M.
Rnsk with his regime, q !, the road to
attack them. The r, ; opened fire
with their artillery a. : N as they saw
Rusk coming. Rus > bugler, riding
immediately benin s. IN, was killed,
his head having bf - shot off Rusk's
horse crouched a threw the colonel
off into the sw eS His men yelled.
'the colonel is kin a." Not by id
sight, said Rusk, picking himself mp.
Shoot that id horse; he going to the
rebels, yelled Rusk. The horse went
to the bridge, could not cross, and
wheeled to the rear Rusk ordered his
men to file off into the water, waist
deep, under the protection of the woods.
Gen. Mower soon heard the word passed
down the line that Rusk was killed and
ordered the 43d Ohio down the road.
All this time the rebel artillery was in
action and Col. Swayne of the ADD Ohio,
was carried wounded to the rear.
Rusk remained in the swamp till
dusk with his regimen. when he was
ordered to the rear, having lost three
killed. His regiment went into camp.
While our cook was pre- ,,aring supper
Rusk was standing by the camp fire
soaking wet, when an orderly rode up
and said to Rusk, Gen Mower sends
his compliments and order you to re-
port to his headquarters imm ediately."
Rusk said to me, Doc, what in HI does
Mower want anyhow. | guess he is
going to take me to task for not carry
ing out his orders as he told me Rusk
put on his sword, mounted his horse and
rode half mile to Mowers headquar-
ters and said to staff officer, Il have
been ordered TO report to Gen. Mower.
Mower heard him and parted the flaps
of his tent and said, 'Rusk come in.
Rusk took a seat on a camp stool and
Mower said, Colonel have some whis-
key" Rusk declined, and said, Il never
drink liquor" Mower said, that's right,
Colonel, / am glad to hear you say SO.
You know do at the same time swal-
lowing horn of whiskey. II ordered
you to report to me forthwith for the
purpose of mplimenting You on the
way in which you carried out my orders
this afternoon. viii say, too, that you
went further into hell this afternoon
than ever Gen. Mower did. Have you
had any supper, ColonelT' mo" said
Rusk You will take supper with me
then" He called his black cook into his
tent and told him to get supper on to
the table quicker than he ever did In his
life, or off woald come his head The
nigger, Rusk said, was pale with fright
and nearly scared to death. So Rusk
supped with the general and then re-
turned to cGmp. He told Us all how
much better he felt than when he was
riding mp to Mowers headquarters. He
had to dry off by the camp fire as he had
no change of clothing.
If Mower had any difficult undertak-
ing to perform the 5th Wisconsin regi-
ment was usually called on to under
take IL because he had so good an opinion
of Rusk. Rusk said that while in that
swamp he stood behind big cypress
tree and q big round shot struck 1t and
went half through the tree, Mower
Aanked the rebels that night and drove
them from their strong position. la
our mess were Col. Rusk, Major Jocelyn,
now of Richland Center and Regimental
Adjutant Fitzgerald.
Viroqua Wis, May u, 1905.