Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-07-01

part of an army 5000 miles from nome
cutting itself loose from the govern
ment that held transportation lines
and supplies as well as authority, was
absurd, but the report was circulated
all the same. As matter of fact 1t
Is not possible for any army organ
lied on the modern plan to revolt, but
in every war there is talk about ar
mics throwing down their arms or re
fustng to fight or declining to do this
or that
''More such talk was INDUCED In
concerning the volunteer army of the
civil war than of any other army that
ever did any real fighting. The talk
began in the army, where + passed
| for mere buster and extended to the
| politicians and the people at home, TO
whom it seemed very menacing indeed.
In the earlier years OF the war l was
In the engineer corps and was pretty
close to headquarters. After Antietam
| was informed confdentially that Nc
Cleland was to be sent to Washington
and that Burnside was to take COM
mond of the Army of the Potomac.
ut was explained to me by a regular
army officer that Mcclellan really had
been removed from command, but the
President, fearing mutiny In the
army, desired to have the soldiers be
lieye that Little Mac had been called
/ to Washington TO take the place of
I General Halleck. was informed
also that when Mcclellan started rear
ward there would he open revolt
against Burnside, and the end of
things would come soon. | did not
believe a word of all this. and said
SO. But | was asked TO wait ! wait
ed, and | saw Mcclellan go without
| demonstration of any kind and Burn
side welcomed everywhere with
cheers
1.-THE truth was that the Army Of
the Potomac was made Up of Amerl-
can citizens who were In the army to
1 fight, not for Mcclellan nor for Burn
side, nor Pope, nor Hooker, but for
the Union, and most Of them, much as
they liked Mcclellan. felt that the time
had come for him TO 60 There was
absolutely no thought of mutiny on his
account but hundreds of men who
knew better limited that there was the
/ gravest peril In sighting Mcclellan
because the army as an army was 80
| attached to him that It would resent
injustice by refusal to obey orders Of
another.
Participated officers of this school
often misled the people, as well as the
officers in Command. remember one
case in which the field officers Of two
regiments in Virginia intlmated to the
general in command that their men
were In ugly mood because a deserter
from one of the regiments was to be
shot. They expressed a fear that If
the men were ordered out to witness
the execution they would mutlny, and
suggested that II might he well to not
insist that the regiments be present
1.-THE general heard them in amaze
ment, but said he would consider tht
matter The day Of the execution the
two regiments were ordered out with
out arms, and each was placed In The
square opposite to a regiment fully
armed and equipped. No one under
stood the situation except the officer,
who had talked to the general of mutt
ny, and to them it was a rebuke tina
stung like blow In the face
'The truth was there had been n,
excitement In either regiment abou
shooting the deserter, and absolutel
no disaffection and no thought Of mu
tiny. This was made known to tn,
general In good time, and be sent 70
the recreant officers and told then
bluntly that they must get over thei
old women's notions, or he would rec
omend their dismissal from the ser
vice. They never limited at mutin,
after that"
II remember" said the major. "tha
when 1t was announced that negroe
would be enlisted as soldiers there wa
much wild talk in the army abou
throwing down guns and declining I,
do duty IL negro regiments wer
brought to the front The men Of n.
particular regiment said they them
selves would mutlny, but they wer
always talking about the men in som
regiment in the next brigade. swearln,
by the great horn spoon that the
would do that very thing II the darkie
came to the front wearing the arm
blue The darkies came and not
hand was raised aginst them.
1--WE had in our regiment a tits
Dutchman who was In a chronic stat
Of revolt. He was always on the poin
Of defying the government and Of re
fusing to obey orders. But the crlsi
never came, and the boys bore wit
Charley's mutterlngs and stubbornnes
in the belief that cure was impossible
One day, as we were retreating up
: mountain road, pursued by q heav
force Of the enemy. we were ordere
to move quickly to the right, so that
1T.