The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-05-30
The War Fifty Years Ago.
From first page.

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From first page.
TO that composed of OHIO and nearby
states, Butler to that of the newly Gre
ated department of eastern Virginia,
North Carolina and Soeth Carolina.
The western end of Virginia WIS In
Guided In McCleIlan's territory, and be
was then about to begin the campaign
which should result In creating a new
state and In making himself the COM
mander Of the Army Of the Potomac.
Among those promoted to the rank OF
brigadier general during the week were
Irwin Mcdowell, who Was soon 10 COM
mand at the battle OF Bull Run;
George H. Thomas, lateS to be known
as the Rock OF Chfckamaugaj" Ma
thaniel Lyon, who had bean fighting to
hold Missouri n the Union, and A. H
Reeder, former governor OF Kansas
On May II the president commission
ed Daniel E. Sickles to raise division
of 10000 men, Of witch he was 10 be
made major general,
On May IA Philip II. Sheridan was
commissioned captain in the United
States army, and on the same day Rob
ert E Lee was created a brfgadfer gen.
eral Of the Confederate army. May Ii
Joseph E. Johnston was given COM
mand Of the southern forces in and
about Harpers Ferry.
Troops were being offered from all
over the north and were accepted as
fast as the war department could han
die them. On May Il three regiments
entered the army from Kansas, the
youngest state On May Is fourteen
regiments were accepted from New
York, and ten Scotch regiments were
Tered. On the same day yachts were
accepted from James Gordon Bennett
and j. P. Ives May II the Irish bri-
gade, more than 1000 strong, rendered
its services.
Fever For Enlistment.
The popular fever for enlistment Is
illustrated by the New York Quaker
merchant, who said to one Of his
clerks:
"Well, friend James, Is thee willing
to enlistY'
II have thought of It," replied the
to lose my situation"
Eff thee will enlist" replied the
Quaker, mot only shall thee have thy
} situation, but thy salary shall go on
, while thee is absent. But IL thee will
not serve thy country thee cannot
:: stay tn this store"
That the fighting spirit was abroad
was indicated by the Est fights all
over the north Wherever came a
!: southern sympathf2er and talked about
it there an alteration followed as the
) sparks fly upward It was the same
below Mason and Dixon's line. One
: clergyman who preached IN favor OF
; the Union was given twenty -foul
{ hours, or maybe It was twelve. tt
leave the state. He left There
5 was not a little rough hunor about fl
: all. "Wen hang JEFF Davis on soul
apple tree" was popular sentiment
In the free states ! have often won
: dered why 1t was sour apple tree
: he was to be hanged on, since any
. other kind would have served, bu
; perhaps the 'sour" indicated how peo
s pie felt about 1t. These were fierce
; days. The time of fraternizing be
tween the .Yanks" and "Johnnies" II
; the trenches had not yet come.
The tensity Of feeling h indicated
: by two events occurring on May JIG
z They took place as far apart as Mas
sachusetts and Cincinnati. The Ba,
: State legislature appropriated $1,000,
s 600 for the war, and In the Ohio cit,
Dan Rice's circus was menaced by
) crowd until the Snowman pulled dow
his own flag and hoisted the stars AM
s stripes.
& Union troops were rapidly being con
; centrated at, Fortress MonRe. Earl,
3 In the week General Wool was order
3 ed to take command, but later Genera
. Butler refused to serve IN subordi
) nate position. SO he was placed Il
Z charge, and Wool was transferred
Ri On May 20 slight engagement tool
z place opposite the fortress. The Con
3 federates were seen to be fortifyin
AT Gewclps Point and were attacFp,