The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-24

stoned officer without hope or chance Of
promotion
you were wounded and taken prisoner
at Port Hudson. La, in 1852" ! said.
Is Taken Prisoner.
The Siege there, under Banks, went
along simultaneously with that at Vicks-
burg. under Grant Vicksburg surrender
ed on July and Port Hudson on July
8. Banks invested Port Hudson by land.
supported by fleet IN command OF Far
ragut. The works were stormed several
times. On June Il. my regiment. or what
was left Of it, together with the frag-
ment of a regiment = New Hamp-
shire 400 men in Al led he way for
5000 troops who were 10 follow We got
in front Of the breastworks at o'clock
in the morning, and then charged in
double skirmsh line through an old cane
field. The enemy cut US down as we
ran forward. OF the thirty-seven men in
my company. twenty-five were hit. and
either killed or wounded. I fell 10 the
ground with a bullet through my thigh.
Our supporting column scattered and
fled. So we lay all day. with the firing
going on over our heads. I meant 10
creep away at night. but the Confed-
crates came out in the afternoon and
made prisoners OF those OF US who were
alive We were put into a hospital tent
and given medical attention. Food was
scarce. and we had nothing to eat,
toward the last, but mule meat and corn
bread. We drank sassafras tea. was
on crutches when the fort capitulated to
Gen. Banks"
What happened TO you after YOU left
the army?"
II returned to Albion and in a year
was graduated. In the meanwhile, I
had saved 500, getting bounty on two oc-
| casions. I went to see a Norwegian law
yer In Madison, whose name 1 had read
in the newspapers. and he took me TO the
Office of a large law firm, where l re-
mained a short time without pay, Then
I formed the acquaintance OF William
] F. Villas, with whom I afterward served
| in the United States Senate. He gave
me room back Of his Office and paid
for my meals AT a cheap boarding house.
John c. Spooner-I also served with him
in the Senate-was secretary TO Gov.
Fairchild. and he and I belonged to a
society of young lawyers and students
who held moot court and debated legal
questions Every Saturday returned
to my mothers home II erfield. in
which township ! maInti my legal
residence. I was admitted the bar In
1867. The next year was elected to the
| 1rrFp1ofurn
Loses His Fortune,
IN 1864" I said. you lost all the
money you had put away7"
Yes. I deposited $500 in a bank and
the bank failed. Presently my health
broke down I coughed all the time and
the doctor said would die If I did not
move to Minnesota. where the air was
dry Taking up a prairie homestead OF
120 acres at the edge of the village OF
Alexandria, built a settlers shanty of
rough boards and lived In It for two
years with my wife and children, prac-
ticing law when I had the chance. I was
elected prosecuting attorney of Douglas
County, and was later sent 10 the State
senate When ] went 20 Minnesota, ]
purposed to let politics alone, but that
is a hard thing to do in a new country
IL have lived at Alexandria ever since
and on the same land, although bought
out a neighbor or two and now have q
farm containing 500 acres. My house 4:
only a few rods from the site OF the OLD
settlers shanty. Sometimes I cultivate
my land, but usually I let Il our to ten.
ants"
| you are an expert" I said; therefore