Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-04-29

a man related to me in some way. ]
could not put them on. l walked IL
my stocking feet to the commissary
department, secured a pair of new
shoes, and I have the other shoes yet
The affair troubled me for long time
l had no opportunity for making sat
isfactory inquiry in regard to the man
who bore my name, but in due time J
did learn that there was no family re
lationship whatever He had come to
this country from England and had
been in this country only a few
months when the war broke out He
enlisted through a spirit of adventure
and l was the means of giving his rel
atives definite information as to his
fate. The only evidence had bearing
on points in which they were interest
ed was a pair of old army Shoes
Inter Ocean.
Who Began Battle OF Gettysburg.
At 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, and
| know it as thoroughly as l know
am here this moment, surrounded by
some of my comrades Of that hour. We
were in the advance of our brigade
and had just gone over the crest of
ridge, when the enemy opened up ON
us. 1t was a death-swoop, 80 per cent
of our boys falling. l know l was as
calm as l am this moment, and recol
lect perfectly that that volley and
our Immediate reply constituted thu
first round of battle. A few moments
after, and just before l fell, wounded
l 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 few
months ago my recollection of it was
| undisputably proved to be correct upon
consulting an official document. Major
John Mansfield Of my regiment, who
succeeded mo as colonel, the next fall
1t seems had written out an official re
port of the battle, in pencil few days
after 1t was over This report, which
had never been forwarded to head
quarters, became mixed up with his
other papers until discovered recently
when he sent 1t to me. 1t is the writ
ten contemporaneous official statement
Of an eyewitness and proves beyond
all peradventure all that l now OF
have always maintained. This report
has been transmitted by me to head
quarters in Washington, and will ap
pear in the official publications in due
time Mansfield is now a Brigadiel
General in the regular army, and Is
stationed in California; he was 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 admirable gentleman, by the way.
| has no documents to prove his case
and simply rests it on his belief; but
he Is clearly mistaken He may and
probably did commence action very
soon after our brigade, for there was
| then fighting all along the line, but
not before. There is New York regi
ment making a similar claim, | hear
but there is not even the shadow of
substance TO it." This testimony, given
by Gen. Fairchild, 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 Sentinel
1t was a drizzly day only short
time before Gen. Grant drove the
enemy from Petersburg and moved
toward Five Forks and Appomattox,
A chill northeast gale made OvercOat8
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
strobe to and fro on his post, his gun.
lock under his arm to keep off the wet,
He was new recruit from down
East" sent out to help fill the ranks OF
regiment which had lost one-half its
men since that campaign began.
He saw a man in 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 terbaccd
in yer clothes?' The passerby wa&
smoking cigar.
No." he replied; Il can give you q
cigar, but | don't chew"
And / don't smoke, but I'm starvin'
for a chaw," replied the sentinel, AZ
he looked over to the other wistfully,
An | chaw an dasn't smoke on post
Say, couldn't you stand post for me-
jest minute till run over to the suit,
lers yonder?''
Il could" said the other, with Q
grim smile on his face, and then ha
added, Il will. Give me your gun and
orders
There isn't no orders, only to hail
anybody going nigh them stores, and
to stop 'em as has no business there"