Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-09-22

Just for luck The infantry never re-
lieved its pressure for a single hour,
day or night. and the cavalry was
hanging to the enemy's TANKS and
rear ike hungry leeches, and hun
CRY as leeches were all the govern
ment troops. Forces brigade of Law
ler's division to which we were at
tached had most OF this f1anking
service 70 do, so the 9th Wisconsin
had ample opportunity to yindicate
its reputation as the marching Fegi-
ment."
The face of Kenesaw mountain was
constantly specked and spotted by the
diets and sharp-shooters who made
life burden for all its defenders and
death certainty for many of them.
Each one of the blue dots, barely
visible on the mountain side, bur
rowed itself into stony soil or secreted
itself behind a sheltering rock or tree
trunk scarce ever to remove, cSeenE
it be higher up the mountain, nearer
the enemy, nearer Atlanta, nearer the
end OF the war and a return to the
dear old home away up in Gods
country" where our mothers. sisters.
wives and sweethearts were earnestly
PRAYING for our safety.
When Kenesaw was abandoned our
day of rejoicing had come. We were
glad 70 know that henceforth
Johnnie would be unable to shoot
straight down on us.
Once across the Chatshoochie river
the last great natural obstacle was be-
hind us and the last stand of the con
federate army about Atlanta had been
taken. Yet after this more than six
weeks of hard fighting. constant
manouvering and skillful strategy
were required to compel the eyacua-
ton of the city
Had General Johnston been left in
command of the defensive army it
would probably have taken much
longer than It did He was removed
by Jefferson IDS, however. and Gen.
eral Hood given command. Hood at
once came from under cover of his
works and gave battle in the open
where he met defeat in every engage
ment which both weakened and de-
moralized his army while the results
stimulated anew the confidence OF the
union army and relatively added to
its strength. When at last, on the LIST
of September, in order to save his
army from capture or total destruc-
ton, Hood fled from the city 10 points
farther south, it was entered By Sher-
mans troops never again to be oceu-
pied by confederate soldiers.
The campaign was ended, a com
plete success. The army had con-
mendable pride in It's victory, the
country was jubilant. The cost IN
men and money had been well high
incalculable. but the authority of the
government was being indicated and
the integrity of the union assured.
From that day forward no intelligent,
well informed man doubted for mo-
mept the final and complete triumph
of the union. cause.
There have been croakers, and still
there are few, who persistently pre-
dict calamity for our country from
within and from without With
these / have no sympathy, no pa
tience. in fact nothing in common.
am among those who believe in Amer
lea without reserve and without con-
dition. AS Americans we want no
war. we want no enemies, but if they
must come, why let us not worry.
American boys viii attend to those
Things. We are too apt to think that
in the death of our comrades of long
ago the last heroic blood of our coun-
trymen was spilled. This is a wrons
conclusion.
At the national ampment at St
Paul few years since, ill-health pre-
vented my joining the parade. I was
seated in an elevated position beside
the line of march In the procession
was an old and feeble man, clad in
Grand Army garb, stopped. and gray,
and blear-eyed, walking with a cane
in each hand, on either side of him
girl of about twenty summers each
assisting the old man, evidently their
father, in his wayeriag steps, each
with cup in her hand that she might
quench his thirst. These girls con-
tinually watched their father with
looks of love and pride which spoke
as plainly as words could:
"Sec our soldier father, Is he not
hero?"
THE young lieutenants of the regc-
lar army Stationed at intervals along
the route revering their devotion,
came to present arms and ordered
dipping of the flag to this old man
and his girls as they did to old glory
as it passed. Can internal treason or
external war work danger to such a
people? Not all the armies of the
earth combined with all the hosts of
hell can prevail against country de-
Tended by soldiers begotten by such
men as your sons and borne by such
women as that old mans daughters.
vAGARlES OF THE PARAGRAPH