The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-07-09
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along The Whole
'E%1 Line.

From Alert Comrades Along the Who'll
sE@1 Line.
Cedar Mountain BATTLEFIELD Year After
joel B. SWEET, bugler, Co. C, Sth N. Y
Cav, writes from Rochester, N Y.
about a year after Pope's defeat a
Cedar Mountain our regiment was pu
on picket on the very ground where
the fighting had been most terrific. Oul
line was established late in the evening
with the reserve in the woods. We
stretched our shelter tents and spread
our blankets as we'll as We could in
the darkness that was unrelieved even
by. fires, which for some reason were
forbidden, and then lay down to sleep.
I found some difficulty in getting to
sleep on account of two stones, but
finally wedged myself between them,
and didn't know anything until day.
light. When 1 got up I pulled up my
blanket, and discovered that the sup
posed stones were human skulls. These
were insignificant sights compared with
their surroundings. Everywhere about
among the trees were fragments of hu-
man skeletons. / thought at first these
bones had lain scattered thus since the
battle; but they had not. They had
been dragged there by dogs, which had
dug them out of the heaps of corpses
that had been piled upon the level
ground and too lightly covered with
earth for common decency. The very
evening we went into that reserve camp
got a glimpse of a large, wolfish-look-
ing dog sinking thru the trees near my
shelter tent, and wondered at its bold
ness. By daylight horrible sight met
our eyes on every hand. l have never
been able to learn or understand why
our squadron had its reserve stationed
in that particular location, but shall al
WAYS be most content to regard it as
blunder."
The First Volunteer.
Josias Redgate King. st. Paul, Mimi.
claims to have been the first man to
enlist in the war for the Union. He was
born in Washington, d. c., Feb. II.
1892. and after an adventurous career
in Florida and on the Pacific Coast, he
went to Minnesota as an employee of
the Surveyor-General. Gov. Ramsey's
telegram to the Northumberland to
begin recruiting. was received in St
Paul al 10 a. m, April Is, 1861. A
meeting was Immediately called and
King put his name leading all the
others in what became Co. A. 1st Mimi.
He was Drill Master of the company.
became its First Sergeant. and then its
Second Lieutenant. In 1862 he went
on the staff Of Gen. Aft Sully, and went
West to fight the indians. He was next
promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel of the
I'd U. S. Vols, with which he did good
service against the Indians. At the
conclusion of the war he was given
Lieutenancy in the Regular Army, but
resigned two years later, and returned
to st. Paul, where he became Inspector
General of the State Guard. and did
very much to develop the militia into
the fine organization it has become.
go inadequate Pensions.
Comrade Dennis Kelley writes from
Ordville. CAL: Il enlisted in the 18th
US. on Sept. 20. 1861. and served I'M
til Feb. IS. 1864: was honorably dis
charged and reenlisted on the same date
at Catletts Station, Va, in the same COM
pany and regiment, on the field. i was
taken prisoner at the Seven Days fight
IN the Wilderness and sent to Ander-
sonville, in which place I was IL
months. When / came out / weighed
so pounds and could not speak above a
whisper. i was sent to Camden Street
Hospital. Baltimore.
II served until Feb. %, 1867, and
was. discharged at Houston, Texas. Il
am 81 years old and am drawing a
pension of So per month on my dis
ability. am not able to work. / am
ruptured. l get sick sometimes and
have to pay for medicine. 1 find it
hard work TO live on the pension. i
would like this published in your paper,
and present 1t TO Congress and ask
them as gentlemen if / am treated
right. / was with G.. B. Mcclellan all
over the Peninsula: was in both Fred
ericksburg battles. at Charlottesville,
Spotsylvania, Antietam. Gettysburg and
all the other great battles of that COM
mand."
t Where Were the Rebels.
Comrade l. Pepper. Co. E, 37th KY,
Celery, KY, writes: Il was one of those
on guard at Lexington. KY, in July or
August, ga, when two rebel spies were
hung. The 18th Mich. Cav, 18th Ohio
Cav. and the 18th Ky. We're all there, L
think. / would be glad to be reminded
who the spies were. One of them, with
his neck under the moose, boosted that
he had killed 10 Yankees, expressed
regret that he had failed to get shot
at Gen. Burbridge and said, If every
rebel had done as well as / have you
wouldn't see these free niggers running
around here"
His Discharge Was Stolen.
Comrade William N. Clark, Cos. B
and H, 18th Ill. (the figures are not
plain, ard may be 18th I'D, now at
National Military Home, Danville, ILL.,,
writes: In 1885, at Texarkana, Tex.
my satchel was stolen. 1t contained
sundry valuable papers, and among
those I most regretted to lose was my
discharge 1t occurs to me that as the
thief could not make safe personal use
of the discharge he may have cast it
aside, in which case some ono may have
found it and kept IL as relic. / am
hopeful that inquiry thru The National
Tribune may lead to its recovery
One of the Widows.
Mrs Jennie " GAYLORD, widow of
Rufus S. Gaylord, Savannah. Ga, is one
of the victims of the discrimination
against widows. She married her hus-
band after 1890, who was then trying
10 keep house for himself and three
boys on a pension of sc a month He
could not do other work than superin-
tend a small garden. She joined forces
with him and worked faithfully to help
him get along and raise his children
One boy died, and in less than two
years the father died, leaving her with
Two boys and a daughter of her own.
Only the oldest boy was able to work
and they did the best they could. The
father died of diseases contracted in
the army, but she has been allowed no
pension.
10th Mass.
Comrade H. NJ. Converse, Co. I, 10th
Mass, Warren, Mass, writes: THE
Annual Reunion of the Regi:nental AS
ISOLATION was held at Springfield. Mass,
1.