The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-12-06

triotism, good citizenship of men IN
he ranks, good souls who felt that no
honor could be higher than the priv
llege Of carrying musket in such
struggle" exclaimed ex-Congressman
Gilbert Nj. Woodward, who, until he
vas given commission, was 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
sompany-Charles e. Bushee? He WAS
4 frail young fellow, printer. He
was at his case when the foreman told
the boys In the Office that Major An
ierson had left Fort Sumter and
Mr.. Lincoln wanted $4,000 volunteers.
"'Get a 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, it
was not a strike. Yes 1t 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 a 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
It duty away ont beyond Muns0n
| Hill that raw. dreary winter of 1862.
He was with us at all of the battles
up to and including Gettysburg. and
| there n shot plowed through his side
and we supposed he was dead. But
he would not die. He wanted to be
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 l did SO. There was great
hole i'm his side. The surgeon pro
nounced him totally disabled, and said
he should be sent home. When / TOLD
back to Wisconsin before the army
moved he laughed at me.
sMe quit now and go home-go bacl
on the eve of the Confederacy's smash
ND. | have come to the regiment ;
little. earlier than / should, possibly
but now that 1 am here I'm going I,
stay and be with the boys in this clos
Ing campaign, and there Is no use o
your trying to drive me out of thu
army. for l just won't CO.
"sBut you can't stand the marches
you can't carry gun, knapsack. hay
ersack and cartridge-box with sixt.
rounds. You would fall out the frs
day.
~ tell you 1 can and will. Did
ever fall out Of the ranks!
".No. but you never tried to marcl
In the shape you are now. You can
take a full breath. 1t is absurd. Yo
must take your discharge.
"'You are unfair and unreasonable
adjutant,' said Bushee. as he got u
and left the tent.
HE went from my quarters to tn
reeimental commander and complaine
to him that l was trying to drive hir
out of the service.
"sYou can't stand the hardships G
such a campaign as General Grant
cooking for this army, Bushee,' sal
Major Parsons.
"Let me try, anyway pleaded thl
patriot.
~ can't do it, Bushee. The. adjl
tant Is right; you must take your di
! charge, go home and let that woun
heal. You can't live here
"Then let me die here-die Will
. with the boys Of the compaRy-die a
a soldier prefers to die. on the fiel
of battle
"The commander did not answer IL
! a moment. Then, looking up, he said
) sBushee, the regiment hasn't anyor
, to look after the mail at present Tn,
; Is an easy job. You can stay spe
} longer IL you want to look after II
mems mall
Thanks, sir; I'll be postmaster III
: I'll YOU are willing to let me go I'M
the ranks
! 1.-THE next morning Bushee came
INV tent beaming with smiles of sati
: faction.
t "sI've got the start of you this tim
, Mr.. Adjutant. I'm not to be drive
T out of the regiment just as good figh
: ing Is coming on
5 "T.ock here, Bushee, you must tai
0 yous discharge. To allow you to +
;. main with the company is TO allow "
+ to kill yourself
"Iook at that and then let up {
r nv discharge and he handed me
$ note from Major Parsons naming hi
!. for regimental postmaster. Bush
2 had gotten the start of me, su
/. enough.
d "A week after that we crossed t
n Rapidan, and the two great armies b
/ gan to hunt for each other As "
@ know, they didn't have to hunt Ion
r Our brigade had not been fighting ha
k an hour before Bushee showed up
"'What are you here for?" asked {
l. commander. This is no time or pla
l. for letter writing. Go back.
d 'Bushee went down the line a Il
% files and stood watching the fightir
r Seeing a man fall he took the de-
a mans gun and ammunition and we
to firing. That night, when the fri
% ceased, Bushee, though unhit in t
r. days battle, was more dead than ally
% and one of the boys helped him to t
q rear. All day the 9th of May
# was unable to get about, but VIII
q night came he took the mail that Ia
n followed us and started for the re
n ment. In the darkness he lost his W:
10 ran into a Confederate picket line, "
:. again wounded and made a prison