davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
Death of Gen. McCook.

Editor National Tribune: In a re-
cent issue of The National Tribune was
an. account of the death of Gen. Nc
Coax, but how different it is from the
Union side. In the Capitol at Column
bus. O.. there is a large picture of the
"fghtins NoCook family" and the de-
scription Qhere is one of each of the
famiIv) says of Robert Latimer Nc
Cook: He met his death Aug. s, 1862,
while on the march near Selma, Ala.
lie mad been completely prosptrated
by his open wound and a severe attack
of dysentery, ard was lying in an am
bu!aace which was driven along be-
tween two regiments of his division. A
snail band of guerrillas. commanded
by Frank GnTley, dashed out of am
bush and surrounded the ambulance,
and discovered that it contained an
officer Of high rank, who was lying on
the he'd undressed and unable to rise.
Seeing that the Federal troops were
approaching. these guerrilIas shot and
killed Gen. Bob McCook as he lay help
less and made their escape"
l read afterward that Gurley for this
deed IVES elected Sheriff of his County.
but that President Johnson would not
let him serve. Is this true?-C. Lewis,
Washington, ID. =.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
First to Enter Richmond.

w. W. Gordon. Osakis. Mimi, says
that there is no use in contending
which regiment entered Richmond
first. because he knows that the 18th
Wis, to which he belonged, double
quicked that morning seven miles into
the city, and its colors were hoisted
over the Capitol. He has a letter now
in his possession written b. him at that
time which told of the experience. He
also remembers being placed on guard
over a large building that the rebels
were trying to burn. 1t was said to
belong 10 a Union woman. He also
remembers a coiored woman bringing
him for dinner a plate of hot biscuit.
and how good they tasted after living
on bareback for so long.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

side the Confederate works. offering to
pay full value for every gun a deserter
would bring in, and give him free trans
portation to some part of the North.
One of the notable instances of this
wholesale desertion was that of a team
ster who brought his six mules and
wagon into the Union lines. The Quar-
termaster paid him full value for his
team.
At times. when the weather was fine
and it was felt necessary to get the men
out for exercise or excitement, an at
tempt would be made to push the lines
farther toward the Boydton plank road
and gain some ground nearer the last
of the Confederate line of supplies. The
Medical Director OF the Army of the
Potomac reports that about 300 wound
ed men month were brought into the
hospitals during this more inactive pc
Rod.
Care of the Sick and Wounded.
The report of Medical Director Nc
Parlin as to the care of the sick and
wounded is very Interesting, and shows
to what perfection the hospital system
had been developed. A great general
hospital was established far in the rear.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
(The end.)
HOWARD'S BRIGADE.
An Organization That Was Strictly In II
From Start Ia Finish.

Editor National Tribune. | do not
remember eyer seeing anything from
the members of the First Brigade, First
Division, Second Corps. Iae brigade
was formed at aladensburg, Md, in
October, 1861 Gen. .. o. Howard WIS
the first commander and lieuI-Grn
Nelson A. Miles. retired. was a First
Lieutenant of his staff and was con-
nected with the brigade and division
from Bladensburg to ApponiaItoN He
directed the last infantry charge of the
Army of the Potonla, as commander
of the First Division. There were three
regiments that remained In the brigade
al! the time These were the 9Th N. H.,
6Ist NJ and SisI Pa. IL the loss i'm
killed and died from wounds liz any
criterion, the brigad: did a world OF
service. -Four regiments connected with
the brigade wcr., among the - Whcse
loss was over COG. These we're the 5Ih
y H., 295: 10Th Pa. 2I0; S1sti Pa.
2OS and the l4ath Pa, eGi | dc nI
tniLk ther' is aal:hor Drigade in tine
my that had four regiments i'll that
list. except the Vermont lcl =. -: Jiirrr
were some peo;,ic befarc thr wafIwic
tcieved that tho Yankees wu..a! 10.
tii.rgt. II they are yet ahpe. let them
study the records of the 18th y. H3iand
the Vermont Brigade. There is a Gmis-
take on the tablet of the S1st Pa. at
Gettysburg. 1t was done with malice
aforethought by q man WHO wanted to
unduly exalt himself He also placed
the name Of an enlisted man as'1Ser-
geant- Major when he knew thar the
Sergeant Ma jor was away on account
of wounds received OF Fredericksburg.
l was the Acting Sergeant Major at
Gettysburg, and had been ever since
Fredericksburg ] would like to hear
from any of the old brigade James
Mckinley. S1st Pa. Philadelphia, Pa.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

tigerish keenness those of their enemy
In front, frequently only a few rods dis
&ant from them. The crack of the dead
(y rifle somewhere along the line was
almost as regular as the ticking of a
clock. No opportunity to kill or wound
the enemy was neglected by the men in
gray or the men in blue. 1t was a part
of the program with the men in blue of
bleeding the Southern Confederacy to
death.
The deadly, unshalable clutch which
the Army of the Potomac maintained
upon the throat of the Confederate
army was telling fearfully in another
direction. The heart of the most of
Lees army might well shrink from the
daily, unrelenting pressure to which il
had been subjected since the crossing
of the Rapidan on that bright morning
in May. Not even the weekly exhibit
ton of the formal shooting OF deserters
could stop the men from taking every
opportunity to abandon their coIors.
They came over TO our lines in increas-
ing numbers, and slipped off home in
still greater numbers. The Confeder-
ate Government soon had an army as
large as that in the field patroling the
Country. to bring back. the deserters
from the ranks. Gen. Grant wisely took
advantage of this by having little circu-
lars distributed whenever possible in
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

ponement not evasion or change of the
certain end. The deserters swarming
into our lines told wierdE details Stf the
restitution of the Confederate camps,
of the discoura cement of 1.-The rpen, of
the hope essness of the Confederate out
look. Lees men were virtually prison.
ers, and the only fear which Gen! S}rant
entertained was lest the rebel army es-
cape. This fear was the occasion of
many movements to the left to keep
watch on that flank, and prevent Lee
from retreating tc the southwark un-
molested.
Every man in the Union army felt
confident, in spite of the reHerses In the
past that Richmond could be taken in
day if the army really put forth its
strength. 1t was good policy to let the
wasting Winter still further reduce the
Confederate power of resistance, and
make the final crash easier.
The Disspiritcd Enemy.
There was a terrible contrast to this
rosy view of the Union soldiers in the
stoutly held Confederate lines only a
few hundred feet away. The enemy had
lost all hope, and were fighting with the
grim stubbornness of Americans, selling
their lives as dearly as possible. Nothing
that they had been able to do, not all
the scores of desperate, Sanguinary as
Saults which they had so bravely made,
had loosened from their threats the iron
clutch fastened there by the Army of
the Potomac when it crossed the Rap
idan The mad struggle in the burning
woods of the Wilderness, the demOnia-
cal slaughter in the Bloody Angle at
Spotsylvania, the awful blow inflicted at
Cold Harbor, the raging murder in the
Crater at Petersburg. all had awaited
them naught. Every day showed the
Union army drawing slowly
but surely nearer the heart of their de-
lenses. Every day showed the unre-
lenting Union rifles striking down scores
OF their comrades. Every day showed
a lengthening out of the CHASTITY trail of
shallow graves which began GO miles
away in the Wilderness.
The Confederate soldiers could look
back upon their companies and regi-
nents shrinking day by day under the
rude harvesting Of battle, and could see
nothing ahead of them but the Grim
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

tails on Christmas Day. Chas A. Right
er, prominent merchant OF New York
and his associate merchants sent the
hospitals at one time 500 barrels of ap-
pies. which were Of the greatest enjoy
ment to the patients.
The capacity of the main hospital at
City Point was 6,419. Medical Director
McParlin estimates that the total num-
Der of wounded tended by his
force during the year 1864 was
$4,000. This did not include
those of the Ninth and Eighteenth
Corps while the latter was operating
with the Army of the Potomac Alto
gether there were during the year, from
the Army of the Potomac, 224. $40 sick
and wounded reported TO him. OF these
1S6, sos recovered and returned to duty.
1t is interesting, in view of the clamor
which the Worlds Work is now making
as to the number of deserters, that Dr.
rector McPariin reports only BIZ from
this vast number of men treated OF
all those in the hospitals 1858 died
and 4,l45 We're discharged for disability.
The Hicksford Expedition.
The movement to cut the Boydton
plank road having failed, it was decided
upon another operation which would
have the same embarrassment for the
enemy. On Dec. Gen. Warren, with
the Fifth Corps. Motifs Division of the
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

Second Corps, four batteries of artillery
pontoon bridge and Gresg's Cavalry
moved out to break up the Weldon Rail-
road beyond the Nottoway. The men
had four days rations and so rounds OF
ammunition on their persons and two
days rations and 40 rounds in the wag-
ons. Marching thru dark, rainy day,
the troops got across the Nottoway the
next morning, and Gen. Gregg destroyed
a great trestle bridge across this river
after driving off the enemy's cavalry
During the afternoon of the Sth the in
fantry had closed up on the railroad,
and were given time to cook dinner and
rest, both of which they very much
needed after their rapid and fatiguing
march,
The weather had cleared off, and the
moon came out brightly in the evening,
SO that the troops had plenty of light in
which to pursue the work of tearing up
the railroad. In doing this the plan was
adopted which had been developed to
such high pitch in the West. Brigades
We're lined up along the track, and at
signal from the bugie each man
stopped over and caught hold of tie.
At another note from the bugle they all
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

the other commanders he invariably
employed the title General Sherman
always called the General-in-Chief
Grant in public and private conyersa-
ton. ingalls, and other classmates used
this term in talking with him alone,
but when others were present they gave
him his military title. All other officers
in the service addressed him invariably
as General In conversation with his
personal Aids, who had served init
mately with him, he would call them
sometimes by their last names and at
other times by their military titles. He
YVES scrunulously- careful under all cir
courtesies which are the stamp of gen.
uine politeness. When a General came
10 his headquarters the General-in-
Chief always rose 30 receive him, shook
hands and invited him to sit down. If
smoking himself at the time, he offered
the visitor cigar, and if it was near
the hour for a meal invited him to be a
guest at the mess. He never made any
remarks in criticism of person who
had called on him after the visitor had
left, and by his manner always showed
an objection to hearing others talk
about people behind their backs. He
never had the slightest fondness for
gossip of any kind. Whenever anyone
attempted to whisper to him in the
presence of others, while he did not
openly rebuke the offender, he always
managed in some way to make 1t evil
dent that the practice was distasteful
to him. Usually when anyone came
close to him and started to communi-
cate with him in a whisper before COM
pany he drew slightly back, and at once
began to reply in a loud tone of voice,
which was 4 sufficient indication that
he regarded the whispering as an ire
politeness. II there was really any rea-
son for confidential interview, he
would proceed to his back room and
hold 1t there. His conduct was particu-
larry courteous in the presence of la
Ties, and he never neglected those little
attentions to their sex which constitute
true politeness. If he were reclining on
a bench or sitting in n lounging attitude
In a chair after a fatiguing day, when
any lady approached, whether visitor
or person of his own household. he
would at once assume a more deferen-
tial position, and show her every posi-
bic courtesy"
Killing Goes On Unintermittingly.
In spite of the comfortable quarters
and the relaxation to which the men
gave themselves over after their long
campaign of hard marching, digging
and fighting, the work of death went on
ut the front with the regularity OF ire
sfstible fate. Sharpshooters, carefully
protected behind headlogs, manned the
miles Of breastworks, and watched with
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

ceeded in driving the enemy from Three
Creeks, putting out the fire on the rail-
road bridge over which his dismounted
men crossed. Gen. Gregg followed the
enemy up in their retreat, and finally
crossed the Meherrin River.
Gen. Warren Decides to Return.
At Hicksford the enemy had three
forts armed with artillery and connected
by rife pits. Gen. Warren carefully re-
connoitercd this position, found that it
was strongly held, and that il would
take him at least two days to turn it
and secure possession. His men We're
already badly fatigued. had eaten up
all the four days rations in their haver-
sacks, and the weather threatened a
storm. He therefore decided not to at
tack, but to continue the destruction of
the road until nightfall and then re-
turn. BY 8 p. m the command had
completed the destruction of the track
down TO the Meherrin River and burned
two large bridges. Altogether between
II and IS miles OF railroad was so
thoroIy ruined as to be lost to the Con-
federates. 1t would be useless for them
TO attempt to repair it, because ii had
been shown how easily The Yankees
could repeat the destruction.
The expected storm came up just as
their work was finished, and added
greatly to the lardships of the return
march. BY the time the command
reached camp again ii had travelled
about 100 miles in six days.
A New Country.
In spite of the storm of sleet which
brought much suffering to the men and
animals. the expedition was altogether
more pleasing than those to which the
men were used, since it was In a new
country, where troops had never oper-
ated. and in which there We're fairly
good forage supplies that the Confed-
crates had not yet gathered in. The
country seemed almost deserted. Scarce
ly man was to be seen, many of the
houses were unoccupied, and when they
were not only helpless women and chill
dren Were in possession.
in almost all of these houses abun-
dant quantities of apple jack We're
found, which the men appropriated
without ceremony, and a very good
quality of apple jack it was found to be,
TO the undoing of some of the men.
Gen. Warren felt SO pleased with the
success of this movement that he issued
a congratulatory order TO his command,
complimenting the men upon their
swift march and the splendid discipline,
and his officers upon the manner in
which the object of the expedition had
been attained.
Close OF the Year 1864.
While the Union troops realized that
the end of the campaign was far from
that Of the high expectations which
filled their hearts when they crossed
the Rapidan seven months before. yet
they settled down in their Winter quar-
tiers with feelings very different from
those entertained in any previous year
They knew that not only had they ter
ribiy broken the enemy, but that their
comrades in the Shenandoah and in the
Western armies had inflicted even more
crushing blows upon him. The pro-
ionSation of the siege meant only post
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
THE CHURCH BUILT BY TIE

Reaper, under whose cruel scythe they
would soon fall, az had four out of
every five of their comrades who had
touched elbows with them in the begin
ming of the campaign. They were as
men on Il slowly sinking ship, or like
that Wretched being in the medieval
story, whose prison walls closed in hour
~ upon iIim to crush him finally out of
ali human semblance. s-'@ fa
CO;IId Only Postpone the Inevitable.
All the fighting that they. could do
now would merely postpone the ineyita-
BILE. They fought without hope, but
they fought on because they were Amer
leans in whom the spirit Of resistance
could only be crushed out by death.
There spread thru the camps at this
time the religious fervor of doomed
men, standing on the brink of eternity
Prayer meetings and religious services
were held morning, afternoon and night
in every regiment, and the men sang
and prayed as do those preparing for
execution.
The sullen, lowering skies and inces-
sant rains in an unusually Indictment
season harmonized and emphasized
their overwhelming dependency. No
more was heard by the sentinels in the
Union works the rollicking songs of the
Confederate camps in the earlier days
no more the spontaneous cheering. In
tHtlF pace cstfiIe SIcdiHR over 10 tileiH
on the clear wintry air the plaint!ve
notes of the aaI old hvn7rs that spoke
OF sin and suffering. of preparation for
death. and the dolcful walls over the
fate of these who repentel not. The
only variation from this in the way of
secular Music was the inexpressibly
mournfu, "Lorena," which someone had
very APPLY said sang tie very heart
out of the Southern Confcderacy."
And so, while the dawn OF n glorious
future was gliding WITT bright hope
the starry flags in every camp. from City
Point to Hatchers Run. clouds fore
casting a doom like that which fell
upon Nineyah and babylon settled down
upon the crirson banner Of the MANNED
and broken confederacy, waving from
the b, istIing fcrtS only fTUnshot away.
Thus closed. in the enVirons of the
of 1864.
(The end.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
Wants to Return to St. c:oud.

The National Tribune: i LETT st.
Cloud Oct. 10, and l tell you I long to
be back there. If l could have built
me house, I would never cone back
here 10 suffer all kinds of weather. T:
think you did one of the grandest acta
of your life. You conceived the idea to
help get the old comrades a home as
near Heaven on earth as can be, and
your pension bill comes nearer being
just than any other bill that has been
on the calendar. God bless you and
Uncle Joe Cannon and the whole PEN
sion Committee. II it had hot been for
your grand old paper. The National
Tribune. who would have taken up our
fight? Yours in F., c., and George
w. Wise, 523 Fifth avenue. Moline. Ill.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

with minor hospitals between it and
the main line, and a complete ambu-
lance service instituted with regular de-
tails for picket service. The wounded
and sick were first examined in the bril-
gade and division hospitals, and then,
if their condition demanded, we're sent
to the general hospital where they We're
again examined, sorted out and with the
more serious cases sent by hospital
steamers to Washington, Point Lookout.
Baltimore, Philadelphia and
New York. There was feet of these
steamers, with their names, Surgeon in
charge, capacity in beds, as follows:
State of Maine, Surg. James, 500 beds.
Connecticut, Surg. Hood, 400 beds.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
Western Metropolis, Surg. w. NJ. Hud-

Western Metropolis, Surg. w. NJ. Hud-
son, $50 beds.
De Molay, Surg. Seaverns. 800 beds.
Baltic. Surg. Thos. Mcmillan, 500
beds.
Atlantic, Surg. d. p. Smith, 500 beds.
The greater part of the work about
the hospitals was performed by mem
bers of the bands. These were under
as strict discipline as the army. The
hospitals were fitted out with every ap-
pliance for the treatment of the pa
tients, and unusual efforts were made
TO give them all the delicacies that
could be readily procured. Director Nc
Parlin reports that he expended nearly
1900 in the purchase of turkeys, cell
cry and cranberry sauce for the hospi-
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

raised up together and threw over the
entire track. As il fcl! the rails were
wrenclIed from the ties, which were
piled up and fired, when the rails were
thrown OH them. The heat was suffi-
cient to twist The rails beyond the pos
sibility OF Strengthening by any machin-
cry in the Confcderacy.
This work was resumed early in the
morning of Dec. 3. with each division
destroying all the track in its front and
then moving to the left of the other di-
visions to repeat the performance. Gen.
Gregg, with his cavalry, drove the enc
my away, and kept them out of reach
while the work of destruction was going
on. He also sent out a force which sue
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
Tried to Ditch the Train.

Patrick Curtis. Ludlow, Mass. en-
listed in 1862 under Col Armstrong.
On tie way to Washington a rebel EN-
gineef tried to ditch the train, but the
Colonel caught on, and. springinS into
the cab, thrust a revolver under the
engineers nose and brought him to
tine. C9,rrade Curtis saw Gen. Sheri-
dan on special train going from Bal
tiirore TO Stevens Station, and asked
him for \ ride. Gen. Sheridan wanted
to know what regiment he belonged to,
and he told him that he belonged to
the 1886 ". Z, when Gen. Sheridan
said: "All right; get on"
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
The Route to Fort Leayenworth.

Ralph E. Wescott, Ossining, N. Y,
wants some one to tell him of the route
of the 21st n. Y, 9th Va. and Sd Mass.
Cav. to Fort Leavenworth after the
second days review in Washington.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12

Gen. Porter goes on to show Grants
dignified, courteous demeanor toward
his subordinates and all others with
whom he came in contact, and other
matters of human interest connected
with the personality of the Commander
fn-Chief:
While the Generals manners were
simple and unc0nstrained and his con-
versation with his staff was of a most
sociablc nature, yet he always MAIN
bounds TO any undue familiarity on the
part of those who held intercourse with
him. However close to him they were
in their relations, there was never any
obtrusive intimacy. He always adj
dressed his Chief of staff as 'Rawlins,'
Gen. Sherman as Sherman, and usual
ly called his cavalry leader Sheridan
but in addressing Meade and nearly all
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
The 5th Nc. Battery.

George Poyer, Johnstown, Pa. says
that there was q mistake In mentioning
his battery. 1t should be the 5th Me.
Battery instead of the 18th Me. Bat
terry.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
Do YOU GET UP WITH A LAME BACK?
Have You rheumatism Kidney, Liver or
Bladder Trouble?

Pain or dull ache in the back is evil
dence of kidney trouble. 1t is Natures
timely warning to show you that the
track OF health is not clear
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
Lame Back.
PrevaIency of Kidney Disease.

Most people do not realize the alarm
ing increase and remarka bic preva-
lency of kidney disease. While kidney
disorders are the most common diseases
that prevail. they are almost the last
recognized by patient and physicians,
icho usually content Themselves 1rith doc
foring the effects while the original dis
case constantly undermines the system.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1911-01-12
THE WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN
CONTINUED from page one.)
Gen. Grants Good Manners.

nent to the General and those about