Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-10-14
THE BAT'TLE-FIELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES
The Blue and the Gray Review Incf.
dents Of the Late War, and I'm
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.

States consul general at Halifax. Nova
Scotia, who was Governor Mortons
private secretary throughout the civil
war, in writing TO the indianapolis
News of some war incidents, tells an
interesting story of General Lew wal
lace and how the Indiana regiments
in the war for the Union came 10 start
at six as the number of the first IN
fantry regiment. From the first,
says the colonel, Lew Wallace, then
adjutant general of the State of Indl-
ana, insisted that the new regimental
numbers should begin at 6 to avoid
duplication of the five that had served
during the Mexican war. Then began
struggle among those who had raised
these first regiments TO secure the low
est possible number, each being anx-
ious 70 show by such record that he
and his regiment had entered the serv-
ice early. 1t became known that Lew
Wallace was to command one of the
regiments, and it seemed as IL half
the officers of the companies that had
been accepted were anxious that their
companies should become part OF his
regiment SO he had little peace until
f! it was settled what companies were
to serve under his command.
"The field officers OF the various
regiments came to me in large num-
bers and suggested that they were con-
| fident that Wallace would take the
| lowest number, 6, for his regiment,
and requested me to request Governor
! Morton to assign the numbers by lot
/ told them the governor could not
interfere in the business Of the ad-
| jutant general, and then spoke of it to
| Wallace, who said he had not thought
of the matter and cared nothing what
number should be given to his regi-
ment but to settle the matter he
would say then and there that he
would select the number Il, the high
est number, for his regiment, and the
other coonels might settle the mum
bers to be assigned to their regiments
among themselves The numbers of
the other regiments. If my recollection
is correct, were then determined by
! lot.
at is a well-known fact that the
Eleventh Indiana was one Of the best
drilled and best disciplined regiments
in the service. That regiment fur
nished a larger number of officers as
field officers to other regiments. as
well as major and rigadier-generals,
than any other from Indiana, IL not
FROM the Union"
Colonel Holloway In this letter gives
the following characteristic anecdote
of President Lincoln. william H.
Burlington, now American consul at
Naples. who was one of the Wash
ington staff OF the New York Tribune
during the civil war, told me last sum
mer that late one night following the
receipt of the news that Sherman had
cut loose from Atlanta for the sea, he
received a message from the managing
editor of the Tribune to see President
| Lincoln at once, and tell him the
Tribune wanted to send two CORE
spondents to meet Sherman when he
reached the sea-, and desired to know
to what point to send them.
This was late at night, but Byring-
ton must obey orders. He went to the
| White House. The President had re
tired, but the Tribune man insisted
that the attendant take his card to the
| President, as 1t was important that he
| should see him Immediately. The
Tribune man was taken to the corridor
on the second floor The attendant
entered the Presidents room and &
moment later the chief executive came
| cut in his night shirt The CORE
spondent apologized for intruding at
such an unseemly hour, but delivered
! his message.
Mr.. Lincoln looked puzzled for a
moment and then said: I don't know.
a curious look came over his face as
he added. but If | were going to guess
would say send one to Mobile and
the other to Savannah Now If Stan
ton knew ] told you he would kill me.
| Don't tell him
The correspondent then thanked
| him AS he started to go the Presi.
| dent yawned as he was going back 10
his bed and said: He'd kill me. Kill
me