The National tribune., 1907-03-28
PICKET SHOTS
Prom Alert Comrades Along he Whsle
Line.
ws.ld stand a. a Record.

Rollin s. Griffin, 18th and Sd N. r.
Cleveland. o., recently read of Com
rade Billings A cents which he re-
ceived from the u. 8. Claim Depart
ment, and until then thought his claim
Of 1891 would stand as record. Conn.,
rade Griffin when discharged at Pleas
ant Hill, Nd, Aug. 81, 1861, was fur
nished transportation to Elmira, N. Y
From that place to Auburn, N. Y, he
paid his own fare. Just 40 years from
the date Of his enlistment, April 49,
1901. he received a check for $2.61,
the amount of his claim.
A Grateful Widow.
Mrs. Della A. Pierce 1919 Ave. C,
Kearney. Neb., says: God bless Sem
ator McCumber for his bill; also Com
mander-in-Chief Brown for his efforts;
but what about the poor widows and
orphans?" She would like the address
Of any soldier who served In Co. c, N.
Y. H. A.. or Co. e, 111th N. Y, with
Marcellus Matteson. who was her for
mer husband.
sTell the Truth and Shame the Deyil,n
George W. Day, Co. I, 18th Wis,
Jefferson. Iowa, thinks Comrade Ben
nett struck the keynote in his article on
the canteen question. He also agrees
with Comrade Martin in advising the
comrades to let the flbs and folly go.
combining themselves strictly to the truth
in what they write to The National
Tribune. Comrade Day says: Tell the
truth, boys, and shame the devil. The
18th was a mere cipher, It is true, but
their record shows they had a good po-
sition, and held it even on July % in
front Of Atlanta. The 18th is not
ashamed Of its record"
A Nine Days Picket.
]. p. Thomas, Co. e, 12sth Ohio,
Lunda, O., calls to mind that terrible
Winter Of 1884 in East Tennessee.
They had just got their Winter quarters
fixed up comfortably at Cumberland
Gap. Tenn, when they were called into
the siege of Knoxville. After they left
the Gap they lay on the ground for the
rest of the Winter. After the siege was
over they returned to Tazewell and
built fort. The day before Christmas
Co. e was detailed to go on picket. Four
outposts were detailed from the COM
pany; the rest were put in reserve. They
were not relieved from this duty till
the day after New Years How they
Winter! No Government rations, ex-
cept a little coffee and sugar, for six
weeks. They foraged when they could,
and were glad to get even a half pint
of ground corn and cob meal a day.
Often they did not get any. and then
they would hunt for corn in the ear.
Comrade Thomas is one of the young
est veterans, having been born in 1S47.
He rejoices in the McCumber bill.
The Battery Mt Franklin.
H. Inf1eld, 9th Ohio, Co. I, Dana,
Iowa, says that altho there has been a
good deal said about the battle of
Franklin, there is one thing he would
like to know about, and that is the bat
terry that was close to the Carter House,
and a little to the left Of the locust
grove. He thinks it was the goth Ohio
Battery, and he does not remember
ever seeing any account of the part this
battery took in the battle. In all his
army experience he never saw men
stand to their guns better. He says:
Let us hear from you. battery boys,
about that awful night of Nov. 80,
1864"
Wants to Say a Few Words.
w. L. Butler. Co. G, 7th Mo. Cav,
and Co. I, 1st Mo. Cav, Lonejack, Mo-,
protests vehemently against the idea of
a monument to Wirz, and thinks it was
a great mistake to return the rebel
flags, which should have been collected
and burned. He has a mother living
who is IS years old, and he loves The
National Tribune, the old comrades
best friend.
AndersOnville.
Samuel Woffenden, Co. G, 9th Mass,
Rowe, Mass, says that everything which