Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-01-10
THE BOOMING CANNON
REcITALS OF CAMP AND BATTLE
INCIDENTS.
Survivors of the Rebellion Relate
Many Amusing and Startling Incl
dents of Marches, Camp Life, For
aging Experiences and Battles.

I'm 1861 Andrew johnson was Unit
cd States Senator from Tennessee"
SAID the Doctor, HE stood with the
unionists and used the harshest Ian
guage In criticism of the secessiontsts.
he returned with his family to Ten
nessee and caused more commotion
than any other man in the State. The
people of Tennessee had voted strongly
against secession. and johnson believed
that the State could be saved to the
Union. But the fact thai he was well
known and popular and a fighter
caused him to be made the object Of
bitter attack IN the part Of those en-
gagged in the intrigue to take Tennes-
see out Of the Union.
FL was abused in the newspapers,
attacked by mobs, and hanged in ell
gy. He knew every man in public life
in the State, and he did not hesitate
TO deal In the most pointed PERSONAL
ties. 1t was necessary to silence him,
In all sorts Of schemes and influences
were resorted to. But johnson went
to his old home in East Tennessee,
made strong Union addresses at the
conventions held in that part Of the
State, and was so active and aggressive
that force was resorted to, and he was
driven from his home. Defending him
self on one occasion, pistol in hand, he
told the mob that be would 60, but that
he would come back.
"In March, 1862, he went back as
military Governor Of the State, and he
rorpop,horo1 ovorr u,or1 eot1 oo,In.&
him and every indignity heaped upon
him in 1861. He remembered the
wrongs Of his neighbors driven from
East Tennessee, and the persecution of
his own family, and he acted up to
the demands of the hour. I was in
Nashville at the time, and 1 retain
vivid impressions Of the events Of each
day. When the Union troops occupied
the city a number Of the leading gener-
ais called formally on Mrs. Polk, and
were cou%rteously received. A few days
later General Nelson tool one Of his
brlgades out to the Hermitage and
marched it in stately ceremony around
the tomb Of Jackson. Some Of the I'm
ion officers from Ohio and Kentucky
renewed their acquaintance with Nash
ville's aristocracy, but johnson held
aloof.
His family was in the hands of the
Confederates, but his lrst orders meant
war to the knife He spoke contempt
uously Of Governor Isham G. Harris,
and yet when Mrs. johnson was order
ed from her home In Greenvllle by
General Kirby Smith, Harris tnterceded
in her behalf and secured an order
from Richmond passing her through
the lines to Nashville. Bluff old Mel
son, in his march southwark from
Nashville, turned bis division from the
road to let the widow of General Zolli-
koffer pass. But Johnson paid no hon.
ors to his old enemies, or the enemies
OF the Union.
The families Of several Of the Con
federate Generals remained in Nash
vile when the rebels moved South, and
some Of them presumed upon their po-
sition and upon old acquaintance. John
son would have none Of 1t. On. one oc-
casion in the summer after Shiloh,
when Forrest vas only a few miles
from the city, the leading Confederates
families were jubilant and the Union
lie meeting at the capitol and invited
citizens Of all parties to be present.
This, it was rumored on the streets,
was the beginning of the end.
"a friend and myself went over to
the meeting. When we arrived at the
statehouse we found no crowd outside,
not a single Individual in the halls and
corridors. We thought we had made a
mistake as to the time or that the peo-
pie had been afraid to come. At last
we saw a group of excited, scared men
looking int the Assembly hall. We
went toward them, but there was no
noise-none Of the confusion incident
to a public meeting. But inside the
large hall was packed with men and
women, all listening in a dazed way to
a man who was speaking from the plat
form in a low, incisive tone. That man
was Andrew johnson.
mot q foot or q hand in all that
audience moved. Unionists and Con-
federates were listening in silence,
amazed or awed by the name of the
speaker and the grave import Of his
~utterances. Johnson, with his finger
pointing at a group Of stylishly dressed
women, was saying: I know you every
one, and I know Of your plans. Send
this word out to your friends this even
ing. A crisis has come, but Andrew
johnson will not sneak away as did
your Governor, Isham G. Harris. Tell
your friends ready to attack the city to
attack. They will find me here. But
tell them also that the minute they
cross the city's line I win turn these
batteries on Capitol hill-look at them
as you go out-on the city, on your
homes. Tell them that, and let them
come at their peril and yours
This was received in dead silence.
The Confederates present knew that
Johnson was not talking for effect.
They knew their man and they felt he
would do what he said. In the quiet
that followed his threat johnson turn
ed to the Union men to say some en-
couraging words. He told them of
threats made to kill him, to intimidate
them, and toIrecipitate a panic in the
city. He asked all of them to show
their hands, to stand by the flag, to
proclaim to the spies and traitors in
their midst that they We're not afraid,