The National tribune., 1910-05-19
GEN. JERE n. RUSK,
A Splendid So'd,sr-a and Grand Man in
All Respects.

All Respects.
Editor Natior6s Tribune: I have
been reaaer and .admirer of your val
liable paper. but have never, 1 believe.
nurdened pure your FEEDERS with my writ
likely to Tpbiish f he e" following How g on 'fn the
life of my dear 6d Colonel, j. NJ. Rusl,
by Henry 'Casson.
This book was published in 1895,
put, sorry TO say, 4 knew nothing of II
until my aftention was called to it by
capt. r. WhHteton. Captain of my
COMPANY 5G. 2gh wis.), when 1 was
in WashirEfon az GEAR ago. / have just
read the book and am charmed with
IT, Ihe military part Of the book was
like, living the war over again with the
great General and his noble 25th Wis.
Mr" Casson has emphasized many ex-
cellent qualities of the great General,
but as was a soldier under him for Is
months and his Chaplain for the rest
of the war, about the same length of
lime, L would like also to emphasize Il
rev OF his many good qualities.
With respect to his bravery, the war
had no need Of a braver man than Gen.
Rusk. If soldier was brave and duti-
ful he always had q friend in Uncle
Jerry"
With respect to the Generals relig-
ious belief, think he was a believer
ION, but he often took the opposite, /
think, more to see what could be said
In its favor. He was always SO witty
and sharp it was hard to corner him.
1 remember one time after a battle /
was speaking of our great Protector,
and the Coloney spoke up and said,
Chaplain, I don't know about that"
reminded the Colonel of the time we
were trying to cross the Salkehatche
swamps. / said. You remember that
tree you were behind when the rebels
were shelling us. If that tree hadn't
been there you might have been blown
into thousand pieces" The Colonel
said, Chaplain, if that tree hadn't
been there l wouldn't have been there.
would have been behind some other"
At Santa Fe, some years ago, at one
of our Encampments, under Good of
the ORDER a comrade arose and said.
Il have a charge here in the paper
against our Chaplain" and then read
Col. Rusk's famous chicken story. That
brought the house down. / wanted to
finish the story by telling how the
Colonel and his staff went into the
house, invited, of course, by the good
lady; how, after they had been served
to a plate of biscuit and a pitcher of
milk, the Colonel brought me cup of
milk and a biscuit. 1t was more than
the "cup of cold water" of which the
Lord speaks. (Matt. 10-42.) 1 be-
lieve / have thought of that kind act of
the Colonel more than a thousand
times. was so hungry.
After the four miles of skirmishing,
in which led the way as Sergeant, on
the double-quick, which gave rise to
the Chicken story" I was sick In the
hospital at Helena. The time dragged
heavy. The Colonel often came to see
me. He often asked as to the care l
had, and said once. "If they don't take
good care Of you here, let me know.
You shall have good care" All this
was whengI L was a soldier.
In the book heretofore referred to,
the writer refers to the Generals de
votion to duty" and quotes the Gene
rails own remark II saw my duty and
1 did it." This brings to my mind an
incident that occurred at the battle of
Resaca. We were about to charge the
enemy's 1hatteriesH We had advanced
quite a distance, over hills and thru the
valley, and halted at the foot of a ledge
of hill, and while waiting a few min
utes, the Colonel stepped across where
| was, took sout his watch, handed it to
me, saying at the time: Chaplain, we
are going TO have some hard work here
but / am going to do my duty"-em-
hidutyL"whatever happens"
and then said. ''If T don't come out of
TINS all Tlght you VIII Know what TO DO
with this watch" "Yes," I said. send
it TO Mrs. Rusk, viroqua, Wis" "Yes,"
said the Colonel.
But, Colonel, l am going with you.
Suppose / don't come out?"
THE Lord will take care of you,"
said the Colonel.
1 replied, II hope He will, and we
ought to trust Him"
He said, very positively, Il am going
rn do my q
He was a grand commander. We had
confidence in his judgment
and bravery. | carried the Generals
watch about two days, and when l gave
it to him / said:
Colonel. it affards me great pleas
ure to put this watch back into your
hands,"
The Colonel quickly replied. Chap
lain, ii affords me great pleasure to get
Il back
Some time before this had rel
uuested the Colonel to put me in charge
Of the stretcher-bearers, saying at the
me time. II can't bear the thought
Df our poor boys being shot down and
left to be run over by their own men
in their own blood"
The Colonel said: why, Chaplain,
are you willing to do it? That's the
best thing I have ever heard"
He called them up, giving them in
structions, saying at the same time, |
The Chaplain will not require you to
20 where you ought not to CO."
After the charge referred to above
we had our hands full nearly all night. |
When / could report to the Colonel, at
2 o'clock in the morning, found the |
Colonel in the intrenchments taken
from the, enemy the evening before. |
No one could speak above a whisper. !
He was deeply moved when / told him
the sad story of our losses and the |
names of our own boys. He was al |
yays a great friend to me, and / owed |
my appointment to the chaplaincy |
more to him than to any one else.-l
rhos Harwood, Albuquerque, N. NJ.