Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1910-05-13

atives definite information as to his
fate. The only evidence l had bearing
on points in which they were interest
ed was a pair of old army shoes
Inter Ocean. 4
Who Began Battle of GcttysburE:
At a reunion of the Second Wiscon'
sin regiment at Madison, Wis, Gen.
Fairchild formerly colonel of the
Second) was asked who began the bat
tie of Gettysburg. He replied: MY
regiment commenced firing first, n
| know it as thoroughly as l know 1
am here this moment, surrounded by
some of my comrades of that hour. We
were in the advance of our brl
and had just gone over the crest OF a
ridge, when the enemy opened up on
US. 1t was a d~eath-swoop, 80 per cent
OF our boys falling. | know l was as
calm as | am this moment, and recoi-
lect perfectly that that volley n
our immediate reply constituted the
first round of battle. A few moments
after, and just before l fell, wounded,
I heard the second firing on our right
i think in an open field just beyond
the woods. These circumstances are as
clearly fixed in my mind as anything
that happened around me. A lew
months ago my recollection of 1t was
undisputably proved to be correct upon
| consulting an official document. Major
John Mansfield of my regiment, who
succeeded me as colonel, the ext fall,
it seems had written out an official re-
port of the battle, in pencil a few days
nit rny-Npf hJr
had never been forwarded to head
quarters, became mixed up with his
other papers until discovered recently,
when he sent it to me. 1t is the writ
ten contemporaneOus official statement
of an eyewitness and proves beyond
all peradventure all that l now or
have always maintained. This report
has been transmitted by me to head
quarters in Washington, and will ap-
peal in the official publications in due
time. Mansfield is now a Brigadier
General in the regular army, and is
stationed in California; he was a law
yer in Portage before the war. 1t is
the Fifty-sixth Pennsylvania that has
been claiming the honor due the Sec
ond Wisconsin; but Colonel Hoffman,
an GNlllIdbl5 SeuIlSlllcill, W IL way,
has &c documents to prove his case,
and simply rests it on his belief; but
he is clearly mistaken. He may n
probably did action very
soon after our brigade, for there was
then fighting all along the line, but
not before. There is a New York regi-
ment making a similar claim, | hear,
but there is not even the shadow of a
substance to it, This testimony, given
by Gen. F%airchild, was corroborated
by Generals Bragg, Richardson and
others present, who regarded the facts
in the case as well established as
those connected with any event in the
war.
How Gen. Grant Relieved n Sentinel
1t was a drizZly day only a short
time before Gen. Grant drove the
enemy from Petersburg and moved
toward Five Forks and Appomattox.
A chill northeast gale made overcoats
comfortable even here, and more men
who could wore them than left them
off.
A sentinel down toward the river
near some storehouses shivered as he
" Ill liz VII liz pOoI, Ills 5l!1-
lock under his arm to keep off the wet.
He was a new recruit from down
East" sent out to help fill the ranks CO
a regiment which had lost one-half it's
men since that campaign began.
He saw a man in a regulation over
coat and a SLOUGH hat, but with the
steady carriage of a veteran, passing
along a few rods away.
Say, friend, have you any terbacco i.
in yer clothes?" The passerby was
smoking a cigar.
NO." he replied; II can give you a
cigar, but l don't chew"
And l don't smoke, but I'm starvin'
for a chaw," replied the sentinel, as
he looked over to the other wistfully.
AN 1 chaw an dasn't smoke on post.
Say, couldn't you stand post for me
jest a minute till l run over to the suit
ler's yonder?"
"I could,' said the other, with a
grim smile on his face, and then he
added, II will. Give me your gun and
orders"
There isn't no orders, only to hail
anybody going a nigh them stores, and
to stop 'em as has no business there"
Sc the sentinel, relieved on his post,
hurried to he suffers for the desired
tobacco. Returning promptly, he took
his gun and quantity said:
"If l git a chance, I'll do as much
for you, friend. What regiment he
you in?'
None; 1 command the whole army.
My name is Grant, was the quiet re-
ply, as a great cloud of smoke came
out of the mouth of the speaker.
Great Jerusalem!" gasped the sen.
tinel; Eve been relieved by Gen.
Grant himself, and didn't know him.
How could he, when not a mark of
the generals rank was in sight, and
the poor fellow yet too green in sery-
ice to know what a fault he had com
mitted in yielding post and gun to any
but his regular relief.-E. z. C. Jud.
son ("Ned Buntline').
Worth Reading.
IT it was not for pen and ink and
the public platform, some men would