The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-04-09
Civil War Stories


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 We're turn
cd over to me at 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 20 me and said that he
had a queer case. One OF the drafted
men, declaring that he was a Quaker,
declined to carry gun.
Il sent for the fellow. and when he
came to my quarters / asked him to
state his case. He said very impress
sively that he was a Quaker: that he
was conscientiously opposed to bearing
arms that he had said 50 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 l sent the Quaker
over to brigade headquarters and ad-
vised that he be given hospital duty.
THE next day q sergeant command
ing another company reported to me
that Quaker who had been detailed
for guard duty declined TO carry n ri
fie. The man WAS sent for and he re-
peated the story of Quaker No. l. But
| detected a sort OF artifciality in the
plea of this second man and / ques-
toned him as to his Conscientious scru-
pies. ! asked him il 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 } 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 q clump Of trees that 1 thought
would shelter US from the pitiless rain
A little fire was built and we were sit
ting around ii when there came stun
bling down the road from the rear q
man who was swearing at the top Of his
voice. AS he stumbled into the light
OF the fire 1 recognized Quaker No. 2
Turning to him, said: How are you
QuakerT He had been carrying q
heavy load of some hospital material
and had dropped it before the fire fol
rest. AS soon as he heard my voice
realizing that he had betrayed himself
he caught up his heavy bundle anC
bolted into the woods and darkness"
"My experience with Quakers,' SAID
the Major, twas very different We
had in the Seventy-ninth Ohio a gQot
many Quaker boys, and they made IN,
very best soldiers. They were quiet
unboastful, but conscientious in thu
performance of duty, whether they wer,
on guard or in battle. They had thei
scruples, and they disliked to think o.
shooting men. In one case, / remem
Der. 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 tn,
others boys, he. dropped his rifle. spran;
forward on the astouished COnfcde-
ates. smote one with his big right han,
and the other with his left, and aske,
them to surrender.
ION another occasion one of the tall
est and strongest of the Quaker lad
was on guard on one side of a stream
the other side of which was occupie,
| by Confederate pickets. There was
general understanding among Unionist
and Confederates that neither woul.
| try TO cross the stream, and that Their
would be no shooting One day, how
| ever. q restless Confederate on guar
| on the south side of the creek. findin;
the tall Quaker on duty on the othe
side. waded tantalizingly into the waite
half way across and dared the Quake
| to touch him.
''The Quaker ordered the rebel back
but was sworn at for his pains anC
laughed at Without further ceremon,
the Quaker dropped his gun, threw of
his blouse and cartridge box, jumpet
| into the water, and said: L will teacl
thee thy duty Thereupon he caugh
the rebel, ducked him, pounded him
then carried him bodily to his own sid,
and threw him down. He marched
across to his own side, put on hi:
blouse, took up his gun, and when til,
officer OF the guard. who had witnessed
the struggle in the wafer, came up. ia
bez saluted him serenely and made N,
mention of the conflict in the water
Chicago Inter Ocean.