The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-05-10
DAY OF
THE CIVIL A

ANY one reading tho stories OF bat
ties and sieges, written by Gen. This,
Col. That. or Admiral Tother," said an
old veteran, would reach the con-
clusion that the civil was was fought
by high commissioned officers alone,
while in fact 100000 men below the
rank of sergeant took Il prominent
part in the actual fighting.
I'm 1865, when the war was practi-
rallE over. congress went into the
wholesale brevet business. Brevcts
were handed out by the shovelful:
colonies who had never commanded a
regiment in battle we're hoistcd to the
rank of hrigadiers, and brigadiers.
who had spent the most of their time
AT nome. were exalted to major gen
erals. but not a brevet was ever hand
stroE of a western regiment that nae
become disguised with this brevet
business, holding a meeting and pass
ing a series of resolutions, hrevcting
all priVates as %corporals. all corporals
as s~ergeants. and all sergeants as cap
tains. Finally a resolution something
lke this was adopted: Whereas, the
falfhful mules of the army have work
ed hard without any COMPLAINT. each
mule should he promoted to tho RANK
or horse Yes. l know some medals
nave been given out among privates.
IN AL least one case the medal husi-
ness was seriously and ridiculously
overworkcd. Just after Bull Run,
when the north was scared until the
people were all daffy. the time OF one
OF the eastern. regiments expired. The
regiment Was asked to remain i'm the
Entertainments around Washington UNI
til some new troops could be brought
forward. Three hundred stayed, 400
went home. After the scare was over
congress was seized with a mcdal-giv-
ing mood. and voted a medal to each
member of that regiment; the 400
home-Eoers got a medal as well as the
800 s~tindpatters.
Yes. ! was at Antietam. said to
have been one of the bloodicst single
days in all modern history. don't
know how that is. but in no battle.
and was in a good MANY of them. did
l ever see a field SO covered with dead
n wounded as at Antictam. From
sunlIp to shutdown the work of death
and mutilation went on. AT some
time during the day there Was desper-
ate ilshtinS in every part of the field.
Ii he fighting was like the work of
a team OF halky horses: first. il was on
the left. then on the right. then in the
center. but never in all places at once.
Lee, able general as he WAS. had
formed his battle line i'm the shape of
a crescent. with his TANKS resting up
on the river. In his front was Antic-
tam creek. that could be crossed only
at four bridges. three of them being
within Lees lines and commanded by
his artillery and sharpshooters.
have love heard of any ono irving
to explain why Mcclellan did not fight
on the 18th of September before Jack
came up to reinforce Lee. We
We're there n in a lighting mood.
II was in the first corps under
Fighting Joe Hooker. ON the after
noon of the 18th u small corps of
about $4,000 men was ordered to
strike the extreme left of the confcd-
crate line. Ii was d dangerous mis-
sion. We would be separated from the
rest of tho army by the creek. and so
FAR away that no reinforrements could
reach us for several hours. Finding a
bridge beyond the lines of Lee. VIC
crossed. and late in the afternoon fell
on the corps of l-ongstreet with such
fury as tn drive it back. giving us a
good position. Night stopped the con-
fiict. leaving us holding a strong po-
sition in front of Longstreet's line.
Before sunup the next day we were
aroused from our uneasN SAUNDERS.
and almost Immediately the tight be-
gan again. This time VIC had TO meet
jackson, who had come up during the
night and X position on the left of
Longstreet. The key to the confeder-
ate position was a little church and
the woods surrounding it. and for that
church Hooker pushed us forward.
fight opened With an artillery fire
from "A battery of 80 and - Founders. .
and then our small corps made a rush
for the encmy's line. The confeder-
ates realized that the key of their po-
sition must not be surrendered. and
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