Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-09-29
From Madison Democrat.

shara coun y. this state. had for
one of my pupils a little fellow nam
ed Johnny Coon. His mother was
one of the many war widows" Of
those days, and she was struggling
heroical'y to BRING up decently her
three little boys and an elder sister
Since I had been soldier myself,
felt special interest in this little
family. The husband and father, Da-
Fid Coon, had enlisted from Green
Lake, on the 10th day of February,
1864, in Company A of the seth Wis
consin infantry, been taken prisoner
at Ream's Station, Virginia, August
%. 1864, and died in Salisbury pris
on North Carolina, November 2, 1864.
This johnny Coon got, somehow,
from his humble home an ambition
to be something and DO something
worth while, and so came in tinr9 to
be the we'll known Or, John Coon OF
Milwaukee, now at the head OF the
tuberculosis Sanatorium a Wales,
in Waukesha county. m a visit to
me not long ego he brought me three
yellow. faded old letters written by
his father from the army in the sum-
mer of 1864. They are marked by
number Al, AZ and A. and are among
the vegy last he ever wrote hard
ly need say that this loyal son of
patriotic father prizes very highly
these old let ers; that they seem to
him like messages from the heroic
dead, I am glad he has permitted
me to copy portions Of them for those
who think it worth while to read this
Corner. Comrade Coon thought so
much cf the little family he had left
mp in Wisconsin that he wrote very
Of en- to them. I find that letter No.
Al was written August Is: No ~,
Angus. 16 and II, and No A, Au-
gust 81 I Dc not nublish tne-n too
tiers becaurH tf"~ rive military in
formation but on accCun- of their
simple, direct manner Of telling about
everyday life in active service at the
front. Here are some extracts from
the let er Gated August Is on the
James River, ten miles from Rich
mond
The day was very not.
We were marched through the woods
two o. three miles from where we
had been in camp relieved my
self by throwing away my piece of
wooden blanket and two shirts. We
were put in another charge against
the enemy, with the result that we
had a lot Of men wounded Among
these was our acting colonel, he who
had been Cantain Clement E. var
ner, of Company B. He has been,
with us, a frs rate Christian man.
The squad from our neighborhood
come near going into his company.
His left arm was shattered, and
helped him off the field Major Ham
ilton was wounded in the face Be
fore being promoted major he was
captain of our company. and was q
most excellent officer. Since cannot
say any hing favorable about our
present captain. l will say nothing.
! must tell you something of my
own nart in the battle. After our
charging line had halted and fallen
back. few of us took shelter be-
hind some old buildings. I found a
good place back of a hog-pen, where
I could fire between the boards, I'll
heads of the rebs being in plain sight
Just above their works fired eight
or ten times. taking good aim. Soon
an officer behind an old building or
dered me to sop shooting. as there
was danger of hitting some of our
own men. l knew there was no uan-
ger of that | guess he feared that
was drawing the enemy's fire IN
his direction | then fell back and
came across Colonel Warner in time
to help him off the field. He was
very faint
We are now lying in the woods
and not knowing what the next or
der will be or how soon it will come.
4 must stop writing so as o be ready
for II, whatever ii NAV be.
Yours in affection. yet great haste,
David Coon.
The next let err is written a day
LITER fr0~1 the same place.
Dear Wife: am the only one lei of
the SIX from our neigbborhood My
health has been better since our nard
march three weeks ago and my appe-
tfte is good, as you will understand
when tell you that have just made a
GOOD meal off raw fat pork and raw
sliced potatoes cut up fine with
Il tie vinegar 1t made a good relish.
When we were coming up on the
host and did not have a chance TO
cook anything, it was trial to our
aroetttes to see the cooks on the
Noat so into an ice closet and get
from it good hard yellow butter to
use on good light biscuit. and we
Couldn't have taste | have been
irving for about a month % get a
'Jtle -four, and | thought the pros.
0ect pretty good for securing some.
~. we left camp, and now / cannot
set any for want OF a little money.
ltf were sure we should soon get
some pay, Id ask YOU to lend me
little money-a dollar or two. guess
,o-, NAV send It. anyhow. and if we
~ vet pay I viii return Ii. naU
collar hut lent it. and now I can