The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-12-27
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SON. INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.

l HEr ELL OONi- IN ChCo tfN1
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies whi1ed
Away Life in Camp-Foraging Ex-
periences, Tiresome Marches-Thri1-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.
Mrs. Oliver p Morton, widow of the
great war Governor of Indiana, was
asked at a meeting of the Daughters
of the Revolution to give some of her
recOllections of the stirring days Of
the civil war in which her great hus-
band played so prominent part.
The excitement following the firing
on Fort Sumter" said Mrs. Morton,
was doubtless the most intense that
indianapolis ever knew There were
many other times OF excitement in the
days of 1861 to 1868, but nothing to
Fort Sumter In the morning of the
10Th of April, 1861, before President
Lincoln issued his proclamation call
ing for troops, my husband sent him
dispatch rendering him six thou
sand troops from Indiana. When the
call came people flocked to this city
from all over the State TO enlist-the
first day 500, the second day 2,40O-
and before the end of the week more
than 10000
1T soon became evident that we
women should do something. We be-
gan with sewing society, organized
ut my home, and from this there were
made district societies about the city.
/ was made president of the parent So
cfety. Mrs. Coburn, wife of Gen. John
Coburn, and Mrs. Anna Bags were
among the active members The Gov
ernor's house was then in West Mar
ket street on the site now covered by
the Traction Terminal station.
I'VE started by making two large
flags, but soon found it was more i'm
portant to make clothing for the SOL
diers and to knit socks for those who
were in the hospitals.
The people of the State had some
what different ideas of what the Gov
ernor's house should be from those that
are held now. In those days soldiers
wives and their children came to the
Governors house TO stay all night
Sometimes to remain for day or two.
We could not send them to a hotel.
l,,%x-
to entertain them. We had quite
enough to do in that time with enter
tanning guests who came from dis
lance, such as Chief Justice Chase.
members of President Lincoln's cabi-
net and generals and senator's. Vice
Pre- sident Andrew Johnson was our
guest for a time. Mr.. Lincoln and his
February, 1861. were entertained at
our house at breakfast
II remember once my husband hur-
ried off to Washington to see Presi-
dent Lincoln. General Mcclellan had
been inactive for a long time. and my
husband was out of all patience.
don't know whether that VISIT to the
President had anything to do with 1t,
but certain it is that General Mcclellan
was Immediately relieved from COM
mand.
My husband had some strange Wis
it9rs. One day during the excitement
tending the conspiracy of the Sons of
Liberty or the Knights of the Golden
Circle, an acquaintance visited the
Governor and said to him: Governor,
You are all wrong. l have informa-
ton from the inside. and 1 know the
Organization has no intention whatever
of assisting the prisoners at Camp
Morton to rise against their guards
and escape Well said my husband,
perhaps have better information than
you think He opened a drawer, and
taking out paper. read to the visitor
speech that he, the visitor, had made
al a meeting of the Sons of Liberty q
few nights before, advocating the re-
lease of the prisoners at Camp Nor
toll My husband had spies In that or
ganization and knew what the mem
bers were doing all the time. Amer
lean Tribune.