Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1908-02-26

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During the same period men repre-
senting the confederate authorities
endeavored to get Massachusetts, shoe
makers to go out TO make shoes for
the confederate soldiers. AS induce
ments they were offerd good rations,
good quarters and pay in gold; and
they need not take the oath of allegi-
ance to the confederacy. They not
only refused but nearly mobhed their
temptors.
Among these indignant artisans
was one whom l will call David AL
den His son, Willard, as fine stall
wart boy as ever gladdened a fathers
heart, had followed him into the
army, had been with him in battle,
and together they were suffering the
hsfrors of Andersonville The tie be-
tween them was peculiarly strong.
They were inseparable companions
They said but nttle,-such men do not
show sentiment by words; set all
recognized that the affection was un
usual, even for father and son.
When the offer came TO David end
his son to go out and work at shoe
maxing,-with the tempting induce
ments | have just mentioned, David,
with a sarcastic smile, turned to his
son and said, What do you think of
it, Willard?"
The boy smiled back as he said,
I'VE know what we enlisted for,
father, and what we've been fighting
for. We cam die here but we win
never desert the cause"
"You have your answerp said
David to the officer; Well stay
here"
In November We were sent to
Charleston, and from there 20 the
prison at Florence, South Carolina.
was on the same cattle-car with David
and his som (s.xty and seventy men
in every carl when en- route to that
place.
The son was in falling health COM
planned, as much as such men ever
complain,--of his throat. The weather
was stormy and cold, and all were
hungry, though I heard little CON-
! plant so far as words were expressive
| of 1t, After long and tedious jour.
ney we arrived at midnight at Flor.
ence 1t was raining in torrents when
we were ordered out of the cattle
! cars: and most of us were glad to get
out of the filth-reeking vehicles. bad
as the weather was
After a short march we halted in a
field which was covered with the hill
locks of cornfield from which the
harvest had just been gathered. Here
| in the mud, with the rain pouring
| down upon us, We lay down with no
| shelter but the sky and no bed but the
| ground I lay under the same ragged
blanket with the boy and his father
! -sheltering the sick boy between us
the boy clutching my arm. What is
| the matter?'I asked; but there was
no reply, and / thought nothing more
about it. The morning dawned and
| the father found his boy dead by his
SIDE The old man sat by the side of
his boy, the tears running down his
wasted face, mourning: God pity
! your mother; God pity us!"
| / went to the officer of the guard
and asked permission to bury the boy.
1t was refused / then entreated for
permission for the father to see where
his SON was buried. This, too, was
denied. SAID to the officer, Hes
only boy. his fathers only son; 1t
wifi do no harm to let the old man
stay and see where his son is buried"
| Cant help it," was the answer: mo
business to come down here to fight
usi"
| Orders then came, Fall IN! Fall
in, Yanks!" and we got into line to
be marched to the stockade. Before
| this David had spread the tattered re
mans of his pocket handkerchief
over the face of his dead boy. He
| then turned away and left him TO his
enemies, never to meet again this
! side the judgment seat where all shall
give answer for deeds of cruelty or
| kindness.
A few weeks after, when ii was SO
| cold that. with our haif-starved bod
| les, It was hard to keep warm. and
the rations were more meager than
even in Andersonville, officers came
into the stockade again to recruit
shoemakers. They came TO David.
saying, you are an old man. you
/ can't live long here, go out and work
at your trade; no one will blame you
for It." But David, with simple hero
ism. replied, No, my boy is dead
win go with my bow"
Such were the men who died by
thousands; worthy descendants and
successors of those who fought at
Lexington and Trenton that civil lib
erty might bless this land Was it
not heroism of the highest type that
humble men could die Ike theses
Shall we ever despair of this republic
when men VIII thus die in its defense?
FIRST BALLOON ACROSS ALPS.