Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-11-26
A WARTIME THANKSGIVING
General Rogers Reviews War Days
and Goodies Sent From Home


DEAR CENSOR: AS Thanksgiving day
approaches my mind goes back fifty
years, to 1868, then in Virginia. Gener-
al Meade had followed the Confederate
amy from Gettysburg, PENNSYLVANIA,
to Calpepper, Virginia. The Gettys-
burg battle field had been dedicated
with orations by Edward Everett and
President Lincoln. Lincoln's worls
spoken there were read to the army,
where they received the first apprecia-
ton. The boys in the ranks were not
familiar with classics, but their APP
prevail was wonderful, and there resolv-
ed 'the dead should not have died in
vain. General Mead felt the sting of
criticism that he did rot push Lees
army quickly and hard, after the great
tragedy of Pickett's charge. The vic
tory of Gettysburg lost much of its
glory in the failure to let Lee march
back to Virginia. At that inclement
season of the year, Longstreet with
his corps in the west, Mead's army
weakened by absence of two corps gone
to help Rosencrans open his supply line.
Then Mead issued orders two days be-
fore Thanksgiving, for the army to
cross the Rapidan. All night the boys
marched under star lit heavens, arriving
at Minerun the following day. Then
the heavens were obscured, flakes of
snow fell, a cold wind blowing from
the north, Mead made his order OF
battle and directed the army to charge
at FIRST dawn of day. The Confederate
line of battle was well protected with
quickly constructed breast-w works and
welcomed the prospective charge of the
army they had met at Gettysburg.
Mead's army started on the expedition
with haversacks filed with rations of
salt pork and hard bread and coffee.
All night before they were to charge at
earliest dawn, the troops rested with
out fires. rolled in their blankets and
wondered what of the morning? They
saw before them downgrade for few
hundred yards, brook of which they
knew not the depth nor the breadth and
up grade of many yards, line of earth
works well defended with infantry and
artillery. The boys looked upon the
mornings battle as forlorn hope, a
failure. They we're stiffened with cold.
fatigued with the previous all nights
march they did not believe the occasion
warranted the sacrifice.
General Warren then viewed the
ground over which his corps was to
charge. and as an engineer questioned
the right of General Mead to repeat
Bnrnside's failure at Fredericksburg and
refused to order the charge Warren
was supported by all the corp com
manders when Mead counter marched
TO Calpepper, facing cold wind. Ar
irving at the old camping grounds, the
boys found many Thanksgiving pres
ents by express from mothers, sisters
and dear friends awaiting their return.
Many mince pies, mashed and musty,
chickens, turkeys and ducks that had
soured, doughnuts and frosted cakes
much the worse for the long transpor-
tation. They found homemade stock
ings and mittens. within their mothers
names. Brave as they we're to face
musketry and artillery fire, the names
of dear ones brought tears to their eyes.
Washington authorities realizing the
stubborn resistance of Lees army,
that another campaign would be nee
essary, another summer of marching
and fighipg must be provided for, asked
for the re-enlistment of the soldiers of
'6l. With wonderful interest, THAT
the dead should not have died in vain,
that the union should be preserved"
many thousands re-enlisted for the
war. s4.u
While Company of the 9th regiment,
largely from Vernon county, had many
casualties. with but few exceptions,
re-enlisted. A short visit to their homes
then back to their places in the army.
Grant went into the wilderness with
$4,000 of these veterans, and without
them it is questionable if he could have
fought il out on that line, even though
it took all summer. III along the bat
tie line in the wilderness, Laurel Hill,
Spottsylvania, Jeruhi Ford, Cold Har-
Dor, Petersburg and Yellow Tavern.
Hatche's Run to Appomattox, the vet
erssns were numbered with those uncof-
fined, unshrouded and unsepulchred.
Thanksgiving of 1864 brought many
home remembrances, but many of those
who rejoiced with US Thanksgiving,
1863, had left the ranks of the musket
bearers forever and their skeletons lay
where they fell for two years, when
the bones were gathered and inferred
at Arlington with the unknown.
Now, after fifty years behold what
IL L. r..~o..wktf pA~nua