Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-01-24

citizens who had planned for their pleas
ure at the wartime homecoming.
I'm sorry that they are not III the
city nowhere are they $50 that one
of the guests could tell them that the
boys never changed their minds, ard that
those still living believe no blessing was
too good for our entertainers of the long
ago, on the city that possessed such noble
souls.
A number of short speeches followed
the other feast. That of William Allen
is recalled because of the many pleasant
things he said in giving the record the
regiment had made in the field
Col. E. S. Bragg responded At the
close of his talk the colonel gave the
command:
attention, Sixth Wisconsin,
Every soldier sprang to his feet, re-
sponded as promptly as he had done in
various battles, upon hearing the little
colonel give the same command.
Fellow soldiers, Milwaukee was very
kind to us when we went to the front
in 1861. She has been very kind to us
on our return for a brief visit The least
that we can do is to tell these good
friends and all of the people of our state,
that we will try to do our duty to the
end of the war, and then give these good
ladies and the rest of Milwaukee a Sixth
Wisconsin cheer
Do [ hear the echo of those cheers :?
They were lusty, and grateful hearts
made them seem all that cheers can
mean.
When the command was seated the
boys were given a surprise that was
pleasant and impressive.
Gen. Lucius Fairchild, who was of the
Second Wisconsin until he lost an arm
at Gettysburg, and then was secretary
of state, appeared. His coming was the
signal for more cheers, for the handsome
colonel of the Second was always popular
with the Sixth.
After a brief talk Gen. Fairchill-it
was the first time that our regiment had
seen him with an empty sleeve-said that
he had brought from Madison one of the
SiXth's old friends, and then unfurled the
shot and shell ridded flag that had been
followed through many battles and was
sent home because it was no longer in
shape for further service.
Up to that time the men. had been as
decorous as carpet knights might be- but
the sight of that old flag, whose staff had
been shattered and whose folds were
marked by dozen pieces of lead and
iron, was too much. They shouted,
cheered, laughed and gathered about the
armed hero and their first battle flag.
Some of them kissed it, some bowed
their heads and went away, all looked
the love they felt for the dearest bit of
bunting they had ever toasted their eyes
upon
| guess no man of the Sixth ever goes
to Madison without taking time to look
at and in a way worship the old flag that
helped them to go into their first battle
If there have been any more memorable
red letter days than January Is, 1864,
[ do not recall them.
Every man reported to return TO the
front at the end of the thirty days.
What has become of those re-enlisted
soldiers of fortytwo years ago? The
colonel who was made a brieadier GEN
eral that year, Gen. Edward S. Bragg, is
the only one of tie field officers living
Lieut.-Col. Rufus L. Dawes, as perfect
soldier and gentleman as any regiment
ever had, on the way home had dropped
off in Ohio and a few days later
was married. When the regiment reas-
sembled at Milwaukee a month later he
appeared with his handsome bride who
was q Miss Beaman. daughter of Con-
gresham Beaman. Today there is a
Beaman Dawes in Congress- He is a
son of our splendid lieutenant colonel
Another son is Charles G. Dawes presi-
81 Il
CHICAGO, and who was the close friend
of President Mckinley, and held high
office in his administration. Col. Dawes
became a general and served two terms
in Congress from Ohio. He died seven
years ago. Maj. John F. Hauser died long
ago. Capt. Phil Plummer, who became
major; Capt. John A. Kellogg, who be-
came a brevet brigadier general; Capt.
onel; Capt. Rollin p. Converse and Capt.
W. n. Remington are dead.
Three fourths of the lieutenants have
passed away, and at least three fomths
of the enlisted men have answered to the
last roll call.
A year and half after that happy
return to Milwaukee the regiment came
home to muster out. Nearly every COM
polHy llcAo ulueItuC pUdll1 ana Ell
ent lieutenant from those who had com
manded year and a half before One
of the captains was in command of the
regiment as lieutenant colonel. A ma
jority of the other officers were SER
geants, corporals or privates at the time
of the Newhall banquet.
Among the living officers of the old
command are Capt. Otto Schorse of Mil
waukee, Capt. L. A. Roberts of Wahpe-
ton, Mimi, Maj. Earl M. Rogers of Vi
roqua, Capt. Louis A. Kent of San Fran
cisco, Capt Henry G. Matrau of Norfolk,
Neb., Capt. Tom Plummer of Kansas,
Capt. Jerome B. Johnson of Milwaukee,
Lieut.. w. H. Van Vie of Mauston. Lieut.
John w. Davidson of Kansas, Lieut..
Frank Waller of South Dakota, Lieut.
John Crane Of New York and Lieuts
H H. Carpenter and Lyman B. Upham.
The old man with the scythe has been
cutting down the Sixth Wisconsin the
past forty years as industriously as the
Confederate army did during its four