Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-12-01
THE BAT'rLE-FlELDS.
OLD SOLDIERS TALK OVER
ARMY EXPERIENCES.
The Blue aud the Gray Review Incl
dents of the Late War, and in a
Graphic and Interesting Manner
Tell of Camp, March and Battle.

Tell of Camp, March and Battle.
Now, when the war Is so far away
that 1t is only a memory to a large
majority of the population, am
amazed as | think of the strength of
character, the grandeur, heroism. pa,
triotism. good citizenship of men in
the ranks, good souls who felt that no
honor could be higher than the priv
ilege of carrying musket In such a
struggle, exclaimed eX-C0ngresSman
lGllbart NJ. Woodward. who, until he
was given a commission. was a musket
bearer and one of the very class of
which he had just spoken,
Woodward, single out two or three
OF the men of that class you have in
mind"
DO you remember Bushee Of our
| company-Charles c. Bushee: He was
n frail young fellow. printer He
was at his case when the foreman told
the boys in the office that Major An
| derson had left Fort Sumter and
| Mr.. Lincoln wanted $4,000 volunteers
4" Get man to take my case, John,
| I'm going to be one of those $4,000
| volunteers and Bushee put on his
coat and left the Office. Two or three
| others followed his example. No, II
was not strike. Yes il was, too--a
strike for the country, for the perpetu-
| alton of the government of Washing
ton and Jefferson. Bushee was as per
/ feet type OF patriot and hero as
| ever lived. At the first Bull Run he
received n bad wound, but came back
to us before he had fully recovered
came back with an open wound and
would allow no officer or man to favor
him. Nothing but his whole duty
would satisfy him, including pick
| ct duty away ont beyond Munson
Hill that raw. dreary winter of 1862
He was with us at all of the battles
up to and including Gettysburg and
there a shot plowed through his side
| and we supposed he was dead. But
he would not die He wanted to he
in at the last, and then he said I'm
ready to cross over
"Along in April. 1864, short time
before the spring campaign opened
| imagine our surprise to see Bushee
| march into camp and hear him an
nounce that he was ready for duty.
The commander of the regiment told
me to see that the surgeon examined
Bushee at once and report him for dis
charge. | did so. There was a great
hole in his side The surgeon pro
nounced him totally disabled. and said
he should be sent home When | told
& I3asllee to take his discharge and get
back to Wisconsin before the army
moved he laughed at me.
me quit now and go homes go back
on the eve of the Confederacy's smash
| mp. / have come to the regiment n
| little earlier than ! should, possibly.
but now that am here I'm going to
stay and he with the boys in this clos
ing campaign. and there is no use of
| your trying TO drive me out Of the
army, for l just won't go
"'But you can't stand the marches ::
you cant carry gun, knapsack. hav-
ersaek and a cartrdge-box with sixty
rounds You would fall out the first
day
81 tell you | can and will. Did |
ever fall ont Of the ranks
"'No, but you never tried to march
In the shape you are now. You can't
take full breath It is absurd. You
must take your discharge
"'You are unfair and unreasonable.
adjutant, said Bushee. as he got up
and left the tent
HE went from my quarters 10 the
| regimental commander and complained
| to him that was trying to drive him
out of the service.
"'You can't stand the hardships Of
such a campaign as General Grant is
cooking for this army, Bushee, said
Major Parsons.
LET me try, anyway, pleaded this
patriot
II can't do 1t, Bushcc The adiu-
| tant is right; you must take your dis
charge, go nome hliu Jet tHdt WUuHu
heal You can't live here
.'Then let me die die while
with the boys of the company as
a soldier prefers to die, on the field
OF battle
''The commander did not answer for
moment Then, looking up he said /:
'Bushee. the regiment hasn't anyone
to look after the mail at present. That
is an easy job. You can stay a spell
longer if you want TO look after the
mems mail
Thanks sir III be postmaster IN
til you are willing to let me 20 into
the ranks
The next morning Bushee came to
my tent oeaming with smiles Of salts.
faction