The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-04-23

gan was with the general a good deal,
and so was General Frank BarlOw's
brave wife with her husband in the
by the side of the general on more
than one march. / saw her once when
Barlow's division was suddenly at
tackled by the enemy. The bursting OF
shells directly over her head did not
seem to scare her, and when the gen
eral directed an orderly to escort Mrs.
Barlow to place of safety she begged
to remain. Just then a dozen shells
and solid shot rushed over their heads
like a train flying over bridge.
"'My DEAR said General Barlow,
this is no place for you. Go back. 1
can't fight with my wife in such dan
ger as this
"I1l go, general, said the lady,
husband is in such danger?
'Three or four of the Johnny camp
kettles by the Whitworth gun route,
dropping over at that point, singing
their well-known wisher-washer,
wusher-b boom bling ping ping-png song,
when Barlow called out, 'Good-by, my
dear; I'll be back soon. Orderly, obey
your orders take Mrs. Barlow away
from here at once and the orderly and
the woman galloped out Of danger.
But I've told a war story with
woman in it, when started out to test
you on the question of woman soldiers.
Did you know Of any y
II said yes, and | meant women sol
diers, not women with the army, such
as you have been talking about" was
Colonel Charley Richardson's answer
Richardson, the printer, who was pri
vate, made a prisoner by Mosby, but
lived to get out and become a Dakota
editor, a colonel and member Of the
legislature.
Il was made a prisoner soon after
the Kelly Ford fight, while member
of the train guard, on our way with
rations to Culpeper. Upon reaching a
bit of forest near Brandy Station Mos
by's men swooped down upon us. The
first thing l knew Mosby was within
few feet of me calling for a surrender
and allowing me TO look into a six
shooter. The guerilla chief caught sight
of my fine new pair Of high top-boots,
for which the sutler had received $12
the day before.
"'Get out of those boots, young fell
low was his second order.
"'Can't 1 keep them"
Back talk means hole through
you in a second. Get out of those
boots
THAT was enough. The boots came
off.
Throw it up here, was his gruff
order when one was off. 1 can see just
how the rough rider looked as he
swung his right foot over to the left,
took off his well-worn shoes and threw
them at my feet with an order to put
them on, and blank quick, too, for we
have no time to fool away And they
hadn't, for our cavalry had heard the
skirmish and were rapidly riding to our
relief, but they didn't catch up with us,
so, in time-it took a week-we reach
ed Libby prison.
my particular chum in prison was
beardless young Virginian, Billie Gates,
whose family, he said, was loyal to the
old government and hadn't objected to
his entering the union army. He had
been captured at about the time Mosby
plucked our squad. Ny chum was very
nervous, and hated prison life worse
but little with the other prisoners We
shared our rations, slept under the
same blanket and became very good
friends. ~
I'm January, 1864, the Richmond
Wing office was in great need Of print
ers. The foreman called upon Major
Dick Turner, the prison-keeper, and the
two came to our floor and asked if
there were any yankee printers there
A VermOnter named Baker and myself
responded. They said we could have
work if we would take parole not to
leave the city, give information, or do
anything else unbecoming paroled pris-
Oners. We readily agreed to the terms
MY chum, Gates, took on as badly
as If | were his brother starting on a
long and dangerous tour. He begged
me not to go, saying he didn't want to
make friends with the others, declaring
that had been a very brother to him.
But / partially satisfied him by saying
that it was not likely that they would
want us more than a week or two, and
that now and then I would send him
something good to eat. But 1 shall
miss you ever SO much, Charley. Come
back as soon as you cam
ut was II o'clock when they let us
out We were to 60 to work at 2.
While passing the Spottswood House 1
said: Baker, let's 60 in and get a
square meal. It's been a long time
since we've had One.'
after registering, washing and
brushing up, we started for the dining
room, when one of the Confederate Off