Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1909-10-22

With McCOok at ChickamauEa.
The recent death OF General Edward
McCook, former Governor of Colorado,
recalls the story of his gallantry at
Chfckanausa on September 10 and 20,
1868
BY Chickamauga's crooked stream the
martial trumpets blew;
The North and South stood face to
face, with wars dread work to
oh, lion strong, unselfsh, brave, twin
athletes battle wise,
Brothers, yet enemies, the fire of con-
1lict in their eyes,
All banner-led and bugle- stirred, they
set them to the fight.
Hearing the God OF slaughter laugh
from mountain height to height.
The ruddy, fair haired giant North
breathed loud and strove amain;
The swarthy shoulders of the South
did heave them to the strain;
An earthquake shuddered underfoot' a
cloud rolled overhead,
And serpent tongues of flame cut
through ana ldppSu Allu t"IlllNAVN
red
Where back and forth bullet stream
Went singing like a breeze,
What time the snarling cannon balls
to splinters tore the trees.
Make way, make way" a voice boom
ed out, I'm marching to the
seal"
}IAn hhl
Bragg's artillery.
Where Negiey struck, the cohorts gray,
like snow tossed clouds, were
rent;
Where Buckner charged, a cyclone fell,
the blue to tatters went
The noble Brannan .cheered his men.
Pat CIeburn answered back.
And Lyle stormed, and life was
naught in Walthalrs bloody
track.
Old TaylOr's ridge rocked to its base.
and Pigeon mountain shook;
And Helm went down, and Lyle died,
and broken was MoCook
Van CIeeve moved like a. hurricane, a
tempest blew with Hood,
Awful the sweep of Breckenridge
Never before did battle-roar such
chords Of thunder make,
Never again shall tides OF men over
such barriers break.
stand fast, stand faat!" cried Rose
Grams, and Thomas said, Il will
And crash on crash his batteries dash
their broadsIdes down the hill
ErovA TonPStreet'S SD1anhjl rnBh tore
through whatever barred its
track
Till the Rock of Chickamauga" hurl-
ed the roaring columns back,
And gave the tide of victory RED
tinge of defeat,
Adding noble dignity to that hard
word, retreat.
Two days they fought and evermore
those days shall stand apart,
Keynotes of epic chivalry within the
nations heart.
Come, come, and set the carven rocks
to mark this glorious spot,
Here let the deeds OF heroes live. their
hatreds be forgot.
Build, build, but never monument of
stone shall last as long
AS an old soldiers ballad borne on the
breath of battle song.
Maurice Thompson.
Meum eft Tuum.
1t was strange how little regard the
soldiers of the late war had for the
above motto. My regiment, the TWEEN
ty-hfth Michigan Infantry, had the
reputation Of being the most honest
hat 70.
Dixie, but know the boys never suf-
fered anything to lie around loose
that could possibly be used In the
fall of 1862 We were encamped near
Louisville, Ky, and had for neighborS
two regiments of Indiana boys. One
night some Of our boys went out and
confiscated two stands of bees. They
were detected in the act and closely
followed into camp, but strange as il
may appear, when the pursuers reach
ed our camp guard they left the trail,
which was perfectly plain, and passed
on to the camp of the Hoosiers, saying
they knew the Michigan boys never
stole but always bought what they
wanted In December, 1862 we were
lying in camp at Munfordsyille, Ken
lucky, and while out scouting, and
about two miles from camp, one of the
boys stole a grindstone and carried 1t
into camp. On his arrival at camp l
asked him what he stole that for
oh said he, 1T will come handy
to sharpen our knives on"
DO you think you will get transpor-
tation for grindstones when we
.march?" | asked.
To which he replied: II should not
be surprised if we stayed in this camp
until we muster out"
He was terribly disappointed when a
few days after we received marching
orders, and his grindstone was the
butt for a joke whenever any of our
knives wanted sharpening.