Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-11-10

and, as this was far better than death
We soon nerved ourselves up TO stay
there thousand years-or during the
war. We came to this sensible con
clusion in less time than it takes me
to write about il.
Soon come of the men who had been
engaged in bone-iling brought forth
their bones and files and went TO
work. Under the wholesome inspira.
ton OF their example others who had
never gone into the business went at
it too, We remained there three
months with nothing in the world to
do but file bones. and nearly the
whole of us were at IL. For aught we
knew, we had the rest of our natural
lives to devote TO this artistic occu-
patton, we were at liberty to take all
the pains We pleased. We did rot
have to hurry on a job because some
impatient customer was after us. In
that way we did some very fine work.
brought home large number of the
articles | had made | gave away a
great many and others were taken
without leave or license, so in course
of time my curios became less and
less, until was forced to put them
into a box with a glass cover. This
box is now in the possession of my
son, Frank D.. Of Madison. He will
show il TO anyone who would like TO
see them.
A wiser man than has said, Dull
thinking will make man crazy Ne
man in our crowd seemed inclined to
dull thinking. II he had been ne
would have found no opportunity. In
a houseful OF live yankees, who could
do much OF any thinking? When not
filing bones, those yankees were up
TO something else. In room the
boys organized q secret society called
The Star brotherhood, or the Holy
Swinehood. 1t grew rapidly, for every
| ingenious man that came into II
would add some new feature, until it
assumed quite immense proportions,
Victims for initiation would be kid
naped from other rooms and put
through nolens volens.
We had quite number OF theater
men, and they got up some very fine
theatricals. We had also some min
strel shows. We had two boss end.
men. II. W. Eagan of the LIST Michi-
gan played the tamborine, ana
Browne of New York regiment,
| played the bones. ] have never seen
their equal either before the war or
since. Also, we had good singing and
dancing. The rebel officers used to
come into our entertainments. Some.
times they threw silver dollars on
the floor, not as pay for admission,
they said, but TO help us procure ma
terial for further programs.
We were fed twice day, at nine IN
the morning and four in the after
noon After the evening meal, oil
corn bread and cow-peas, the floor be
/ ing quite clear OF distractions, the
fire. to finish eating would arise and
j ST upon a walk around the room
Wen others finished they too would
j fall in and march, until eighty or
ninety or a hundred men were walk
!. ing round and round that large
room, the home of 1876 men. This
was the only exercise we ever had
and it was never omitted after sup
per. The custom was begun, ! think
the FIRST day We we're put into ths
room, and was continued as long a'
we staid there It was the only time
!. during the twenty-four hours Of ans
!, day when two congenial spirits coult
confidentially converse without feai
Of "cowans cud eavesdroppers," OIL
butterinskies Every man, OF course
, selected his best friend Tor compan
/ ion during these walkarounds, Nj,
: good comrade Wilcox and | always
walked together. and we never
j changed partners" In these marches
J a friendship was eemented which has
survived the wrecks OF time. It still
exists. He is the only army frient
. with whom ! am now holding regu
lar correspondence. Poor BOY within
/ month after getting home he. ~e:
!. paralyzed In both legs, and has no
II since 1862 been able to move join
i in either Of them He now lises II
Long Beach. California, where b.
!, will be glad to welcome am old sol
!, dier from Wisconsin.
n Besides the amusements OF which
E have spoken, some played cards am
n other games. We made dice Of bone
+ and played backgammon. All thes
+ activities kept us in good physical
D mental. moral and spiritual condition
> so that only one OF our Eve hundre
e men died while we we're there; an
|. when we left every one was able {
e walk. We were there from D.cembe
lis. Gt, 10 March J., 81. lVirz wa
d there until about the holidays, whe
/, he disappeared, and ! heard no NOR
Y about him until ), turned up at Al
;. Jacksonville. s~,e heard that b
? took about year TO visit his parei
i tai horne in Switzerland, and then r
turned 10 duty; but he did not g
!. his name up until he reached Al
h dcr2onyille.
+ There was no railroad at Tusc
d loosa, and when we left there on II
2, lot dag Of March, we went on anoth'
., old cotton transport which was alt
gether un-river.worthy. The wat'
: in the river was high. We went dow