The San Francisco call., 1909-06-13

"HERR more than one Little Mac" in
the federal army during the of the
bellion, but the hero of this tale not only
the smsTtest Mac" but the youngest and
most din1inutive enlisted member of the army
Of the United States and for than Is years
by far the youngest comrade in the Grand Army of
the Republic and a frequent welcome guest at many
reunion of the Grand Army posts other than his own
Never has this youthful veterans recital of tho
surprising incidents surrounding his remarkable
Hstment, the exhibition of the yellowed documents
filled in with ink now faded, although clearly de.
cipherable-hs enlistment and discharge papers
failed to enthusiasm among hia older COM
rades.
In the little Mississippi river town Of Fort
Madison. Iowa, the site of former governmental
frontier for and the scene of many 4 shrmish and
more than one full fedged battle between the red
skins hand and the soldiers and pioneers on
the other there lived in the late hftes young and
patriotic physician Abel Comrnins Roberts sradu-
Of the University OF Michigan with his wife and
two little sons.
In addition to being physician DR.. Roberts was
the editor and publisher of weekly newspaper, the
Fort Madison Plaindealer He was a strong advocate
OF policy Of colonizing the negroes and of having
the government reimburse the masters of the col
onized slaves. He advocated this as the only plan
that would make possible the avoidance of war
However, partisan feeling was strong in those
days-so strong in fact that party of Fort Madison
men provided themselves with long stout rope
and called the editor one night at his home and
offered him the unenviabe choice of abandoning his
policy of advocating negro colonization and of pub
lcy apoogizing for of the pointed things he had
said in print or of taking plunge in the Father of
Waters tied to his old Washington hand press with
the rope.
But DR.. Roberts had heard that he would be
called upon and he had blood in his veins So after
listening quietly the leaders of the mob he calmly
laid his Colts navy the porch rail and talked
blunty and forcby about the constitutional guaran-
tees Of free speech and of free press and of his
steadfast determination to avail himself of his consti-
tutional rights mob or no mob. He concluded by
inviting them to come on they were still dssatis-
fed They refused to accept and the editor did not
change his policy
Later, when began and volunteers were
called, he forsook both the pen and his advocacy of
colonization and became member of the Twenty
first Missouri infantry volunteers as surgeon major
and as Major Abel c. Roberts he served through the
entire period of the with but brief furlough
In 1868 the Twenty-irst was quartered at
Memphis Tenn Opposite the camp grounds was the
home of then wealthy southern planter. DIR
Wheaton The surgeon of the Twenty-hrst found
occupation plenty and seldom left his quarters One
day. however, while all quiet in camp a wiIlowy
sweet faced southern girl rushing from the old
enemy" Mary Wheaton in deep trouble She
had been left alone that day and something had gone
wrong Two of her fathers pet pickaninnes had
INDUCED in poison berries and were in the grip of
death The girl hastily told her troubles and asked:
rs there not some one here who will help me-
please, for they 'nough dying?"
Moved by the girls distress, Major Roberts vol
unteered An emetic given, a bit of pummeling
DONE and after brief while the tangles straight
ened and the children sprawled themselves in the
sun, sadder but wiser Africans.
Major Roberts and DR.. Wheaton grew to be great
friends. One day the regimental surgeon betrayed
anxiety concerning his wife, then i'll in the north
to his southern friend and what did the old planter
do but command Major Roberts to send for his
little family once There no disregarding such
proffer of hospitality The open door of a south
erner means Come in" and happy is he who does as
hidden few days later the little family