Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-09-14
SOLDIERS STORIES.
ENTERTAINING "REMINISCENCES
OF THE WAR.
Graphic Account of Stirring scenes
Witnessed on the Battlefield and
I'm Camp-Veterans OF the Rebel
Hon Recite Experiences.


from half an hour to three hours. The
picket lines were so close together that
Yankee whisper could be heard by
the JohnnieS The show OF a head or
any part of body meant a shot. and
usually a wound or death. When the
plckets became so weary from sitting
In the cramped picket-pits that life
was an almost unbearable burden a
truce was called for. If the call came
from the Confederates 1t was in this
way, or a way very similar to this;
"Yan6s, how do you alls feelT'
Like Satan, or worse. These picket
pits give us the cramps"
That's our fix. too. Suppose we stop
the killing for an hour or SO while we
stretch our limbs and get rested"
Mighty glad TO make such con
tract"
''All right. We will let up three min
utes from now and give you three min
utes TO get back into your pits before
the shooting begins"
ut is a bargain"
Then these brave men climbed out Of
the pits, Strengthened their legs
stretched their arms and talked to each
other on as friendly terms as SO many
farmers who had met at a line fence
might be expected to do.
BY and by the man who led in max
ing the contract stepped out from his
associates and said; I'm sorry, Yank.
but the time 1t up. Hunt your holes
and watch out"
When the boys We're safe in their
graves, as the picket-pits were often
called, and as they sometimes proved, n
Yank called back. I'VE are fixed John
MES let her silver"
And they "slivered" both sides.
II was murderous business, that pick
ct firing, much of it,
The pickets of the Second MassAchu-
sets and Third Wisconsin made such
an arrangement with the men over
there one hot afternoon. Things went
along charmingly for more man an
hour, when a young officer appeared on
the Confederate line and ordered the
men to go to firing.
ave can't do it, sir" said the ser
geant. I'VE have agreed with the Yam
KEGS to quit shooting for two hours.
The time is only half up
Sergeant, order the picket to begin
firing at onse."
II can't break my word with the yam
KEGS, sir"
"Then will. Begin firing, every man
of you"
Not a man touched his gun or started
for the pits.
The young officer seized q gun and
shot at the Union pickets. That was
the signal for our line TO open fire The
balance Of that day the Confederate
| pickets in front of those two regiments
! didn't shoot to kill. Those who didn'.
shoot in the air separated the chunk of
/ lead from their cartridges banked
/ them.
/ That night a dozen or more of the
/ plckets left their pits and crept into
/ the Union lines. giving as their excuse
/ the conduct Of the young officer. Their
! haversacks were filed the next morn
ing by the Massachusetts and Wiscon-
sin boys as they started on their jour
ney north French leave? Precisely
/ Surgeons and chaplaus were not ex-
pected to get around where there was
much danger Some of them did, how
ever
DR.. ID. Cooper Ayres surgeon Of the
Seventh Wisconsin, father Of Captain
James c. Ayres, Of the regular army,
very seldom missed a battle-the whole
of It, When he saw sure signs Of a
fight he would give careful Instructions
to his assistants and the hospital stew
ard what 10 do. buckle on a sword and
insist on going IN" At first his colo
mel objected; once he ordered him back
TO care for the wounded, but counter
manded 1t after Dr. Ayres had explain
ed his preparations for the wounded.
When he became brigade surgeon he
had hard struggle before the com
mander gave his consent for the chief
of the medical staff 10 serve as m aid
in battle. This surgeon was always
one of the jolliest Of the stan on the
eve Of a fight He jollied the young
fellows, and Ia a fight was here, there
and exeEyp1Aare. cheering the men with
expressions not often heard under sim
liar circumstances Here are 81 few Of
them: give Il to them. boys: they will
never tell on you" Push them back;
they have no business 10 come out md
shoot at visitors this way pitch
right In. lads, and finish the job at once
and well all 20 home" You can.t--,0
home and see your mothers until those
fellows are whipped boys. - give Il to
them real hard -" Don't be afraid.
boys, SO long the surgeon is around :"
DIR. Ayres stood near the first man
wounded on the right Of his regiment at
the battle Of Gravelly Run. Dismount-
ing he hurriedly wrapped bandage
about the mans arm. told him where to
20 to get the wound dressed. picked up