The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-04-15
We'll Known Local Veteran
Marching with His Army
Corps When Tragic News
Was Announced.
CRAZED MEN SWORE
TO AVENGE MURDER
Homes Of Many Southerners
Were Burned to Ground by
the Soldiers and a Town
Threatened.

Forty-six years ago this morning.
while he was marching from Colds.
boro, N. c., TO Raleigh. in Schofield's
corps of the Army of the Cumberland,
Joseph Betzold, now ~ years old,
member of the board of metropolitan
police commissioners, and former
night sergeant of police, heard the
news of the assassination of Presi-
dent Lincoln.
Mr.. Betzold's eyes flashed when he
told how enragcd the troops were by
the tragic news. which was flashed
over the army telegraph. Some of the
men wept bitterly, he said. others
cursed the rebels and Booth while still
others attempted to leave the lines
TO take revenge on the rebels. Be-
tween $4,000 and 10000 troops were
marching with Schofeld.
After the knowledge Of the shoot
ing OF the president became generally
known through the army, 1t was with
the greatest effort that the officers
held the men together From that
time until the arrival Of the corps at
Raleigh. practically every home OF a
southcrner passed by the army was
left pile of ashes, fired through a
spirit of revenge.
Many Homes Fired.
Soldiers OF the Union would creep
into the homes. and sometimes be-
fore the rear tanks of the big army
had passed. tho homes would be blaz-
ing hercely.
At Raleigh Schofeld was forced to
place u double guard around the town
and to hold every man in camp. to
save the town from being pillaged and
burned. The enragcd soldiers demand
ed revenge and swore they would
have IL.
All that saved the town. says Mr..
Betzold was the news of the surren-
der Of Robert T.. Lee. commanding
the main Confederate force. fighting at
Richmond. This dispatch was receiv-
cd with the widest demonstration.
Mr.. Bctzold says he never expects to
see such scene of revelry and jolli.
fication again. for II far surpassed
scenes at political and other public
demonstrations Of the present day.
The soldiers all marched into big
Aeld, where they carried the officers
around on their shoulders and. though
Mr.. Rctzold said he was ashamed to
admit II, there was much booze taken
and some Of the boys got quite hap
by"
The end Of the war came soon after
that. johnson. the rebel general op
posing the Army of the Cumberland
and his successor. General Hood. fed
south. after the battle of Kingston
with not more than corporal's guard
of men.
Later at Charlottesville. Schoaeld's
corps was on guard duty to preven,
the Union soldiers from raidinE the
Confederate homes. Several men were
placed In each non-union home. This
was after the troops were mustered
out, and the government had no con
troll over them.
Mr.. Betzold arrived home in Sep
aembcr. 1865.
Tells Of Big Battle.
His tales OF the rough army life are
Interesting. At Kingston. he says
there was an acre of sapling trees be
tween the opposing armies. Ever,
tree was shot down before the las
shot was fired and ten thousand Con
federates lay dead between the lines
The seccssionists made thirteen dis
tinct charges in this fierce battle.
"The nearest I ever came to bein;
wounded in my two years of arm.
life." declared Mr.. Betzold. was a
Kingston. As a sergeant I was march
ing In the second rank A man ii
front had his finger shot off and tn,
bullet struck me stinging blow ol
the foot. II did not penetrate tn,
shoe, though. I have had men sho
down on both sides of me but wa
never hit. II seems long time sine,
] was In the army"
when the body of the murdere,
president was brought through Rich
mond. there was a great demonstra
tion. The funeral train, draped in tn
deepest black, passed through tn
Pennsylvania station at three o'clocl
in the morning. A huge black arcl
was erected over the tracks. Man
thousand persons went to the station
TO see the funeral train.