The National tribune., 1910-06-30
PICKET SHOTS
From Alert Comrades Along the
Whole Line.

FROM Alert C0mradeS Along tne
Whole Line.
Some Warm Memories.
Comrade BENZ. Singleton. of Sheri-
dan Post. of Waterford, y. Y, writes a
very interesting letter regarding his ex-
| perience of prison life at Florence, 5.
C. He says: The announcement OF the
| candidacy of John McElroy for Com
rander-iu-Chief of the Grand Army OF
| the Republic by Gen. Phil Sheridan
Post. $50, Department Of New York.
recalled to my mind the last days of
prison life at Florence. S. c. On hear
| ing his record l recalled that John Nc
EIroy was in charge of the sick in a
couple of open sheds dignified by the
name OF hospital. and made up my
mind that you were the man, and on
my stating my belief to the Post you
were indorsed unanimously. While l
had not very close acquaintance with
! you, having only known you after the
the prisoners, with the exception of a
| few hundred sick ones were removed
from the prison, I was Captain of the
Hospital Police in the camp. and with
a few other men remained in the prison
| to do the best we could for the sick
ones left behind. We received parole
of honor limited to one mile from the
that liberty, even limited as 1t was! l
can see to-day in my minds eye the
clouds of smoke ascend as they did that
Sunday morning when from the stock
ade could see that Columbia, S. c.,
was burning, and that Sherman was
advancing to our deliverance, and real
ized that we would soon be free from
prison. I was about one of the last to
bid good-by to the stockade on March
1, 1865, after helping to load the sick
aboard the box cars, and arrived at the
Federal lines of the battle of the Cape
Fear River that night, and tasted my
first cup Of coffee for nearly year;
but sweeter than the coffee and hard
tack was the sight of the dear old Flag
floating triumphantly over the city of
Wilmington. n. c.. for then we knew
that the end was near
The First to Veteranize.
William Vanhoosen. 1st Iowa Cav,
OsceuIa, Neb., has come to the conclu-
sion that ,!e was the first man mus
tered as a veteran. He enlisted early
in '61, and his veteran discharge says
that he re-enlisted at Little Rock, Ark,
Dec. 9, 1863. He remembers that Gen
Steele came to camp on the evening or
Dec:- 8, 1863. called the regiment up
around the COloners tent and made
speech asking them to re-enlist. Com
first to accept the proposition, and the
next morning went to Gen. Steele's
headquarters, and was sworn in as a
veteran volunteer. He started home on
his veteran furlough about Dec. II, with
few others who had also re-enlisted,
but they were mustered later than he
was by several days. They did not get
the money that was promised them un-
til July, 1864, and were not discharged
until March IA 1866. They were not
discharged. as promised. at the close Of
the war, but were sent down to Texas.
The Manned Soldiers.
H A. Brotts. Sergeant. Co. II, 8th
Ohio. Colony, Kan, would like to see
justice done to a worthy class of sol
diers--the maimed-who have served
their country faithfully and who carry
their medals with them thru life.
Comrade Brotts says that Congress has
sadly neglected them, as nothing has
been done for them since 1903, altho
living has increased two or three times.
He was the first to enlist in Seville, o.,
upon the first call for three-months
troops on April 21, 1861, and re-enlist-
ed for three years in the 8th Ohio at
Camp Dennison and was sent to Libbey
Prison after being captured at Smokers
Gap about Nov. 1, 1862. and exchanged
the following Spring. He was wounded
at Gettysburg July 3. repelling Picketts
charge, losing his right leg He says
many pension bills have been passed,
mostly for soldiers who were never
wounded.
The Shenandoah Spring.
H. A. Vail, r. F. ID. 6, Towanda. Pa.
saws he was at the mansion by the
spring in Shenandoah in June, 1862,
and that Lieut.. Henry Clapp described
it well and the character of the Fair
child family. He had taken many can
teens full of water from that spring,
and it was good. Comrade Vail says
one of the outbuildings was broken
open. and a large number of muskets,
blankets. saddles. etc, that were gath
cred up after the defeat of Gen. Banks
i'm 1862 were found. There had been
guards over everything. and after the
finding Of the Government property
every guard was taken off. He would
be pleased if Lieut.. Clapp or one of his
family would kindly write to him.
's~"1rl \ Long March.
r. w. Robinson. Bertram, Tex, car
ried the flag for long time. and he
wears the little bronze button. but there
is no Post within so miles of Bertram,
and he has to content himself by read
ing the dear old National Tribune. He
says that oneN march of the 10th Kan.
was from Dripping Springs. Ark, to
Springfield. Mo. G10 mile3), in 25
hours continuous marching, and that
it is on record at Topeka as the long
est continuous march performed by in
fantry in America. The cavalry got
there about one hour in advance of
them. He says they travelled more than
1000 miles the first two years of their
service, and that 40 miles a day was not
uncommon.
Loves the Flag.
Comrade III. H Baird, Co. II, 17Sth
Ohio, North Benton o.. writes that he
is just as loyal now as he ever was, and
une takes bold stand in favor of 10y
atty and Old Glory, and that it is ready
to praise the loyal and expose those who
loyalty. He asks the old boys to send
in their remonstrances, and down, il
possible, the inconsistent, Union-hating
element that is raising it's venomous
head to strike damaging blows at our
The Hardest Battle.
W. ]. Furry, 7th Tenn, Shortbend
Mo, says that he went thru one battle,
which was the hardest of the war, in
which every man was either killed or
somewhat disabled. That was Ander-
sonville, which held him until the war
ended. When he got out and came
home his uncle did not kill the fatted
calf for him, nor has he known any
recognition since, altho it has been
anxiousy waited for.
The 2Sth Ill.
Phil NJ. Wagner, Gushing, Tex, wants