Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-04-17
Civil War Stories


There were Quakers of all kinds in
the army said the Captain. with
some of them we had fun and with
others we had trouble In 1865 200
drafted men and substitutes were turn
ed over to me ut Nashville as recruits
for our regiment. They were organ
lied into companies under the command
of some of our old Sergeants and were
put on duty. The second or third day
one of the sergeants commanding a
company came TO me and said that he
had queer case. One of the drafted
men, declaring that he was a Quaker,
declined to carry gun.
II sent for the fellow. and when he
came to my quarters / asked him to
state his case. He said very impress
Slvely that he was a Quaker: that he
was conscientiously opposed TO bearing
arms that he had said so when he was
| drafted; that he would do any duty ex-
cept the carrying of a rifle with the
idea of shooting a fellow man. After
hearing his story / sent the Quaker
over to brigade headquarters and adj
| Nised that he be given hospital duty.
The next day Il sergeant command
! ing another company reported to me
that a Quaker who had been detailed
for guard duty declined to carry ri
file. The man was sent for and he re-
peated the story of Quaker No. l. But
detected a sort of artifciality in the
T1Ia of
toned him as to his conscientious scru-
pies. l asked him if it came to the
question Of his own death or the death
of the man who was shooting at him
what he would do. He said without
hesitation that he would kill the other
man. But as he claimed that he could
not participate in actual war because
of his religion | sent him over to bri-
gade headquarters, with advice that he
be given as hard duty as possible in
connection with the hospital service.
Weeks after that, when we were in
pursuit of Hood and were making
forced marches, without tents or blan-
kets, l stopped the advance company
under clump of trees that l thought
would shelter us from the pitiless rain.
A little fire was built and we were sit
ting around it when there came stunt
bling down the road from the rear
man who was swearing at the top Of his
voice. AS he stumbled into the light
of the fire l recognized Quaker No. 2
Turning to him, I said: How are you,
Quaker? He had been carrying a
heavy load of some hospital material,
and had dropped it before the fire for
q rest. AS soon as he heard my voice.
realizing that he had betrayed himself
he caught up his heavy bundle and
bolted into the woods and darkness
MY experience with Quakers, said
the Major, was very different. We
had in the Seventy-ninth Ohio a good
many Quaker boys, and they made the
very best soldiers. They were quiet,
unbOastful, but conscientious in the
performance of duty, whether they were
on guard Or in battle. They had their
scruples, and they disliked to think of
shooting men. In one case, l remem-
her, one of the Quaker boys came sud
denly on two Confederates. He could
have shot one and bayoneted the other;
but, very much to the surprise Of the
others boys, he dropped his rife, sprang
forward on the astonished Confeder-
ates, slnote one with his big right hand
and the other with his left, and asked
them to surrender.
ION another occasion one of the tall
est and strongest of the Quaker lads
was on guard on one side of a stream,
the other side of which was occupied
by Confederate pickets. There was a
general understanding among Unionists
| and COnfederateS that neither would
try to cross the stream, and that there
would be no shooting. One day how
ever, restless Confederate on guard
on the south side of the creek, finding
the tall Quaker on duty on the other
side. waded tantalizingly into the water
half way across and dared the Quaker
to touch him.
1.-The Quaker ordered the rebel back,
but was sworn at for his pains and
laughed at Without further ceremony
the Quaker dropped his gun, threw off
his blouse and cartridge box, jumped
into the water, and said: I will teach
thee thy duty Thereupon he caught
the rebel, ducked him, pounded him,
then carried him bodily to his own side
and threw him down. He marched
across to his own side, put on his
blouse, took up his gun, and when the
officer Of the guard, who had witnessed
the struggle in the water, came up. ia
bez saluted him serenely and made no
mention of the conflict in the water
Chicago Inter Ocean.
LincOIn's Joke.
President Lincolns jokes, especially