Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-04-26
STANDS ON CRATER'S RIM
Confined from Page u

then fell back into the smoking caldron,
a fiery furnace, one great charred mass
of flesh. No one to direct the Union
troops, they massed in the smoking,
heated crater, and the blow-up was a
failure. The like of this explosion never
before witnessed by man, save the loss
of Spartacus army camped on Vesuvius,
when that eruption took place in the
first century.
Grant, Mead and Burnside witnessed
the explosion, saw the failure and gave
no orders. General Malone was order
ed to retake the lost fort, which he did
He calamity led his division to the
smoking crater, when the Union sold
diers surrendered, and Malone report
ed: 'fl102 Yankee soldiers came from
the crater hike swallows from a Chin
ney." While standing there my mind
went back to that awful morning; then
walking to the right few yards to the
place where l was wounded, and there
in loud voice / again called the roll of
Co l.. Sixth Wis. No response, save
the echo that sent back the names of
those immortal souls that went from
this field of contest to another sphere.
On yonder side of the James river. Nc-
men. assaulted the works i'm front of
Richmond, and returned to Washington.
Grant marched into the Wilderness with
more than an hundred thousand horse,
foot and artillery. He buried twenty
thousand eurOutc. as did Mcclellan,
while Lee lost a less number. Grants
army stood before Petersburg for nine
months. his artillery puncturing the
g e. 6
churches and many private houses. The
people at Petersburg heard the bursting
shells till April, 1865, then the Union
army went sweeping through the city,
and when the last bugle call was sound.
ed, when the roar of artillery ceased,
and charging columns had folded ban
ers-t. ne of the Revolution, Burgoyne
paraded his troops in the streets OF
Petersburg, Arnold came with his com
mand, Steuben and Lafayette reviewed
their Continentals in the public square,
while the war OF 1912 the drum beat
was heard in the park. The Old Do
minion, the proud mother Of presidents,
foremost of the Colonies, whose states
men were many, and whose Patrick
Henry fired the hearts of the Virginia
patriots and thrilled all the lovers of
liberty throughout the colonial settle
ments. Virginia gave us Washington,
jefferson. Madison, Monroe, Tyler, Mar
shall, Harrison, Writ and Randolf;
illustrious names on any page of history.
In Randolf's veins coursed the blood Of
William the Conqueror, also lineal
descendant of the seventh generation
from pocahontas; while Harrison
grandfather fought under Cromwell.
We descend the James river down
past the old historic homes, and land at
Jamestown. The Colonial Danes have
secured an appropriation from cong
ress, erected a shaft to commemorate
the first landing, restored the old church,
Strengthened up the old headstones and
walled the bank to prevent washing
away II is a lonely place on the Jane
the first settlement, the first church,
burial and first prayers to God for the
safe landing. Ia this old church the
first Indian baptism, Pocahontas Here
she knelt before the altar to receive
blessings. and here she married John
Rolf. then went to England and died on
:hc eve of her departure for Virginia.
We weigh anchor and sail down.
EARL NJ. ROGERS