Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-01-28

Veteran Served on Each Side.

day anniversary and is in vigorous
health That, however, is insigniti-
cant compared with Mr.. Giess thrill
ing experience in the War of the Re
bellion, as related on that occasion to
neighbors and friends. He is one Of
very few men who can truthfully say
that they served In two armtes-the
Confederate and the Federal
Mr.. CHESS in his earlier life was a
bricklayer, and no man in those parts
ever handled the trowel with greater
dexterity. Late in the 'o0s he entered
the employ of the late Samuel McHOse
of Allentown, renowned as a builder
of blast furnaces, for which he had
contracts all over the United States.
In 1859 he took a force Of nineteen
men, most of them from that city, to
Richmond, Va. to build the Westham
furnace, along the James River canal.
Among them was Mr.. Chess. The only
other survivors of that party are John
Paul of Rittersville, and Levi Quier
of Reading
The spirit of rebellion was already
high at that time, and things were not
any too pleasant for the gang of North
ern bricklayers They were not ex
actly wanted, and they knew it, with
the result that all of them, with the
exception of CHESS, made tracks for
home before the breaking out Of the
war Mr.. CHESS, however, was of a
md hn 10
cided to remain. He associated with
many of the Confederate leaders, fire.
quented their councils as much as pos
sible and was highly interested in the
great drama that was unfolding itself
day by day Mr. CHESS remained in
Richmond for nearly year after hos
tilities between the North and South
had commenced.
Although a loyal Union man, he, in
March, 1862, was suddenly Informed
that he had the opportunity of en-
listing in the Confederate army or be-
ing conscripted. If he enlisted he had
the opportunity" Of joining Gen. Mar
maduke Johnson's light artillery,
which was then being formed. If he
refused to enlist he would be forced
into the army as a conscript and as
signed to some very undesirable regi-
ment
AS he knew General Johnson person
ally and found him very fine man,
he concluded to enlist" donned the
Confederate gray and joined the com
mand. They went into camp Of in
struction and for two weeks he watch
ed his opportunity to escape. One night
1t came, and crawling through the lines
he succeeded in making his way back
into Richmond.
During his stay in Richmond Mr..
Geiss had made the acquaintance OF {,
German cigarmaker, a Northern SYM
pathizer, who kept quiet about it.
Chess succeeded in making his way to
his friends house and was immediate
ly given shelter There he learned to
make cigars, which his friends after
ward sold.
For a long time Mr.. Giess did not
venture out of doors save in the night.
Finally, however, he grew bolder and,
Disgusting himself as well as he could,
and passing himself off as German,
foreign born, and acting as if he could
speak English only with the greatest
difficulty, he made his way all over
Richmond, frequently conversing with
Confederate officers who came in from
the front.
He found a great deal Of interest III
visiting the schools in the suburban
districts of Richmond, and one day he
came across a little country school
house some distance outside of Rich
mond. Hearing the pupils singing, he
went in.
They sang Dixie" The Stars and
Bars" The Bonny Blue Flag" and
other Southern songs. Finally Mr
Chess asked them to sing Yankee Doc
die
The eyes of the teacher, young
woman, flashed fire; but she made no
remark, nor was the song given. Next
day Mr.. Chess was arrested and lodged
In the Richmond Jail. He was in Jail
IOFIy-elR0L hours. linen ne was re-
leased Mr.. Chess then came to the
conclusion that it was high time he
got out of Richmond. He had succeed
ed in escaping from General Johnson's
command in March and it was now De-
cember Watching his opportunity he
succeeded in appropriating pass be-
longing to another man whose general
physical description he closely resem-
bled, and at o'clock in the morning
of a December day in 1852 he took his
leave, reaching Washington by way
of the famous Dismal Swamp and the
Rappahannock River.
He suffered great hardships, not the
least of them hunger and cold He
reached the capital in safety, how
ever, and the first acquaintance he
met was the late John L. Stiles, of AL
lentown, who was then a member Of
Congress. Stiles saw that Cess was
properly cared for and the two subse-