The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-01-18
SOLDIERS STORIES.
ENTERTAINING "REMINISCENCES
OF THE WAR
Graphic Account Of Stirring Scenes
Witnessed ON the Battlefield and In
Camp-vetsrans of the Rebellion Re-
cite Experiences Of Thrilling Nature.


cite Experiences Of Thrilling Nature.
Bishop McCabe," said the Major.
was Chaplain McCabe during the
war. He went into the service with
the One Hundred and Twenty second
Ohio, and was captured by the rebs
at Winchester He was sent to Libby
prison, and was there for four months,
having all sorts of experiences. Many
men remember him for his cheerful
ness as we'll as for his earnest Chris
tan character.
ION rainy, stormy night the Union
prisoners on one of the lower floors
of old Libby prison were huddled to-
gether in vain attempt to escape
the rain that fairly drenched them.
Most of them were cold and wet and
miserable. Just as the storm was at
its worst, and there was some COM
shouted: Hands on your pocketbooks"
AS there was no money in anyone's
pocket, the call was greeted with
laugh. The men had recognized Chap
lain McCabe's voice, and they liked
him the better for cracking a joke at
a very dark time.
chaplain McCabe was a great ia
vorite among the boys because Of his
cheerfulness aud sense OF humor. He
belonged to the class that relieved de-
preston incident to fatigue or disas-
ter by droll gesticulation or comment
We had one man in our company who
never took a discouraging view Of any
situation. When a heavy rain would
strike us on the march and most Of
the men would be grumbling and
swearing, this fellow would raise his
voice TO shout: Who in Sam Hill
touched the tent?' ca tent leaked at
the point touched on the inside.)
'Or if we were wading a stream and
it seemed long way across, he would
serenely remark: L guess we struck
this river endways.' Or If a storm
blew over the tent he would yell:
Strike light. strike light. I've lost
II.
near him and covered him with dirt,
he would say. conventionally: L can
lick the man who did that with one
hand tied behind me- This CHEEKY fell
low was great comfort to the regi-
ment, and Bishop McCabe was of the
same sort, and good many of the
boys swung their caps when he was
elected Bishop.
"Chaplains like McCabe were good
| soldiers as we'll as good preachers.
Cavalry. rescued a rebel officer who
fell between the lines and was APP
piauded by both armies Chaplain Ben
nett. of the Thirty-second Ohio, enlist
ed and served as private, and was
promoted to chaplain. He always went
into fight with a rifle. Chaplain
| Springer, of the Third Wisconsin, also
went into every fight with a rifle, and
died in hospital of several wounds re-
ceived at Resaca."
II have often wondered" said the
Colonel. what became of the war
chaplains. | can trace, of course,
| chaplains like McCabe. Pepper, Child
| law, Lozier, and others of that grade.
But l cannot trace many of the chap
| lains who went out in the three
months service of with the first three
year regiments in 1861. Some of them.
/ know, became Captains and Colonies
| in the regiments organized a year and
| two years later, and not few of them
kept up their praying and preaching
habits. But our first chaplain, for ex-
ample was a mystery, and he remains
a mystery to this day.
However, there are war mysteries
without end That story of a member
of the old Chicago Dragons reminded
me of the case of Lieutenant James
Howard, of the Forty-sixth Ohio He
enlisted as a private, but for excep-
tionally courageous conduct in one q.
| the battles in the West was given a
commission. While at home on q fur.
Tough, celebrating his promotion, he
became intoxicated, and on orders from
Secretary Stanton was dismissed from
the service. This was a great humilia-
ton, but Howard returned to his com.
pany and served as a private to the
end Of the war.
THE official record shows that he
was wounded at Lookout Mountain
that he was promoted for meritorious
conduct, and that he was dishonorably
dismissed from the service. 1t does not
show that he served in the ranks un-
til the muster out Of his regiment. The
| officers were in doubt how to treat the
case, and no record was made of his
later service. except on the pay roll
and that was regarded as irregular
When Towards widow applied for a
pension the application was rejected
on the record of Towards dismissal
Now the boys of the Forty sixth Reg
iment are trying to establish the fact
| missal."
Some time ago." said the Sergeant
II told the story of Colonel A. F. Rog.
ers. of the Eighteenth Illinois, losing
lis sword. When he was elected Lieu
tenant Colonel of the Eighteenth I'LL
nois Rogers mother presented him a
sword. properly inscribed. The sword
was lost at Rome, Ga, just previous
to the COloners capture. After a year
10 prison Rogers returned to Illinois
and organized the One Hundred and
Forty-eighth Regiment. In 1865, just
forty years ago, he began the search
for his lost sword, all the men of his
old brigade assisting him Finally
there came to the Adjutant Generals
Office at Springfield a letter from J.
Sturgis, of Grow, Okla, stating that
he had information as to the where
abouts of the sword.
This letter was sent to Colonel Rog-
ers at Upper Alton, H., and letter
from him to Mr.. Sturgis called out a
communication from G. W. Wood, of
AuporQ Okla whnsa hrofhar found