The National tribune., 1909-11-11
GEN. MARTINS KINDNESS.
How the Soldier Boys Remembered Him
After Long Years.


The late Gen. James S. Martin served
during the war as Colonel Of the 111th
Ill. During the latter part OF his SER
| vice his regiment was in the division
commander by Gen. w. B. Hazen,
Regular Army officer noted for his strict
discipline and regarded by the volun-
teers as something of q martinez.
on the march thru the Carolinas In
the Spring of 1866, Gen. Hazen issued
very strict orders regarding struggling.
| At the close of n hard days march.
during the campaign, his provost guards
arrested large number of men and
placed them in what was populariy
known az the bull ring" compelling
the unfortunates to march in circle.
each carrying heavy rail. Word
reached Gen Martin that some of the
men of his regiment were being thus
punished, and he at once rode to Gen.
Hazen's headquarters and argued with
that officer, urging that men who had
served as faithfully as had the veterans
of the 111th Ill. ought not to be thus
punished inasmuch as they had only
struggled from the ranks because of
excessive fatigue, illness or the lack of
Shoes. Gen. Hazen finally consented
that Gen. Martin might go to the bull
ring and release the men of his own
regiment A staff officer was in charge
of the unfortunate stragglers, ana as
the men passed him Gen. Martin picked
out those of his own command. "A
tired, footsore boy of some other regi-
ment looked at him SO appealingly that
the General turned to the staff officer
and said, LET that man out" Then
came a sudden inspiration. Gen. Mar
tin reasoned that the staff officer did
not know the men individually and
could not tell to what regiments they
belonged, and so one by one he re-
leased the entire bunch.
Now comes the sequel to this story.
Following the war Gen. Martin was
elected to Congress from an Illinois
District. At the close of one of the
sessions he boarded a b. 6, o. train for
the West. Shortly after leaving the
Capital q brakeman on the train ac-
costed him and asked if he was Gen.
Martin, and upon the General replying
afiirmatively, the young man rendered
his hand and said, II want to thank
you for doing me a great favor" and
then recalled the incident of the re-
| lease of the tired, footsore soldiers from
| Hazen's ''bull PEN The General
talked over the matter with him and
found him Intelligent and apparently
appreciatiye. At Cumberland, where
all trains in the old days stopped for
dinner, the General went into the din
ing room, ate his dinner, and rendered
the cashier pay for the meal. The
cashier looked at him and asked. you
are Gen. Martini" The General nod
ded, and the cashier added, "A brake
man paid for yonr dinner"
Again boarding the train the Cen
eraI demonstrated with the brakeman,
telling him that he ought not to have
paid for the meal, but the railroad man
that 1 thoroughly appreciate your
kindness to me when 1 was a tired
! footsore, half sick soldier" Some con-
versation followed, and the brakeman
\ asked the General if he had secured a
berth for his western trip, having
| learned where he lived and that he
would ride all night. The General re-
piled that he thought there would be
no trouble in getting berth when they
reached Bellaire. The brakeman then
suggested that. inasmuch as the ira n
was q heavy one, there might be some
difficulty and proposed to telegraph for
q berth, which he said he could do at
the next station. Gen. Martin assented
and thanked him. When the train ar
rived at Bellaire he accosted the ticket
agent and asked if a berth had been re-
! served in his name. The ticket agent
replied that there was q section re-
served for him. He protested that he
didn't care for a full section but only
needed berth. Well" said the
ticket agent, II guess you will have to
| take the section, for a brakeman ran in
| just as soon as the train stopped and
paid fer it,"
Gen. Martin often repeated this story
as one indicating the appreciative graf
| itude of the volunteer soldier, and tho
| he did not, during his conversation.
learn the name of the one who had thus
shown his appreciation, and never again
met him, he always regarded this as an
instance Of gratitude Of very marked
character.
Gen. Martin held many positions of
| trust and honor during his long life
| time, not the least of which was that
OF Commander-in-Chief of the Depart
ment Of Illinois, Grand Army of the
Republic.