Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-04-13

Joe Wheeler in 1862.
81 am sorry about Joe Wheeler"
said the Sergeant. LAS one time l re-
garded him rs the most pestiferous Off
Ger in the Confederate army. This was
because he captured our supply trains
when we were hungry and railroad
trains that carried our money north.
According to the stories told about our
camp-lires, lie was generally in about
five different places at one and the
same time. He was a sort of bugaboo
to the foragers and stragglersg of the
Army of the Cumberland. If we went
out in advance Of the army he was
there. If we foraged in the rear he
was there.
He used his cavalry to prevent us
from living off the country in our front
and to scare us out of the country in
our rear. He was nearly always just
where we didn't want him to be, and
had no mercy on wagons loaded with
provisions or with the mules drawing
the wagons. His men burned the
good many transfers lived in the hope
that in after years they might tell
Wheeler just what they thought of him.
l was on the point of meeting him
about the time of the Stone River bat
tie. but | had no remarks to make. |
had been slightly wounded at Lavergne
as we were moving on Murfreesboro,
and was in the wagon train for trans
portation to Nashville when Wheeler's
cavalry interfered.
Il always believed that | received
my wound from one Of Wheeler's men
that night at Lavergne We had driven
the enemy from the town and were eS-
tablishing a line of outposts along a
stream, in pitch darkness. The stream
was the only landmark to tie to, and
the pickets formed along the northern
bank, with reserves a little to the rear.
Pretty soon cavalrymen came to the
south bank to water their horses, and,
supposing they were our own men, we
asked after the health of Joe Wheeler.
This gave us away, just as information
CAME IRON lelS tlidl Io CIloll
cavalry were south of the stream.
"Meantime our sociable cavalrymen
in front were concentrating, and we
opened fire. They returned the fire,
and our reserves blazed away in regu
lar volleys 1t was IA beautiful little
fight, but | went down in the begin
Ming and two days later was in a
wagon turned rearward, while the
army was miles to the front, in contact
with Bragg's army. My wound was
not serious, and l had just decided to
get out and sneak frontward, when
something happened. Wheelers cav
airy came down on the train like Il
scurrying horde Of Arabs, and in a few
minutes we were told we were prison
ers This didn't suit me, and l climbed
out Of the wagon to take observations.
1T was wild scene | looked upon.
| soon saw there was no chance or
escape. General Wheeler sat on his
horse not far from me, urging his men
to quick action, giving his main atten-
ton to larger train near us, in which
scores of wagons were burning. lie
rode off in that direction ana in not
many minutes there was Il diversion.
Climbing into the wagon, | saw line
of blue charging. 1t was magnificent.
and before the wounded had been paroi
ed the train had been recaptured.
ION other parts of the line our men
did not fare SO well. Wheeler swept
along the rear of our whole army and
was in line with his command in time
for the battle of Dec. 81 He was Il
scorcher. Later l learned to like Joe
Wheeler very much, and l was glad
when he was honored by President Nc
Kinley and Congress, but In December,
1862, and in September aud October.
1868. | had no use for him. He was
given too much to rushing In where he
wasn't wanted. Chicago Inter Ocean.
Far from Market.