The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-09-26
To the Editor of The Gate City,

- TSCeiVeQ SpeCfaI OTuGT NO. luO
from Brigadier General e. M Dodge,
commanding the left wing of the Six
teenth army corps at Athens, Ala, to
report to Captain ]. M. McClintock
for duty in the U. S. signal corps. My
old army comrade. James l.. Wilson,
with whom | had served for three
years In Go. A, had been some two
months previous to the above date,
transferred to this corps. During that
time he had heard the officers speak
.Iof the unsatisfactory condition of
their accounts with the government,
and that their pay was being with
held in consequence thereof until they
were corrected He suggested my
name to the captain, as one who was
familiar with such matters and cap
4 able of assisting, If not permanently
relieving them of their trouble, hence
tie above order. After becoming
acquainted with the officers and max
ing a cnrsory examination of their
papers, | decided to assume the duty
| had been detailed to perform On
further examination, found that their
trouble in most part was due to a
i confusion OF accounts, caused by re-
porting quartermaster stores, camp
and garrison equipage as we'll as
ordinance stores on the wrong forms
At such times as | could take from
my other duties during the next three
months succeeded in completing my
i task and forwarding all papers for
final approval to the department at
Washington. Some time in July of
that year. localized in my memory as
lthe day on which Liuetenant General
Polk of the confederate army, was
killed by one of our shells on Little
I kenesaw mountain near henrietta,
Ga, news was received from Washing
ton that all accounts were correct
and the officers would be paid with
ithe other troops.
One Of these officers. OF whom l
have the most pleasant recollections
although not involved at this time,
was Lieutenant j. G. Adams, after
wards captain, in the regular army
and for some years instructor in the
military academy at Culver. Ind
Another was Lieutenant W. II. Sher-
fey, whose disregard of danger even
on unimportant occasions far sur
irassed that of any other man with
whom came in contact during my
four years service. After accompany
ing him on couple OF scouting ex-
petitions, and witnessing his indif-
ference to danger and the safety of
his men | never afterwards found 1t
convenient to BE one of his party on
such occasions even when invited to
DO so. On one occasion with but two
men, suddenly coming upon an outpost
3ot sixteen confederates, he feariesslv
rode down upon them with drawn re-
fvolver while they had him covered with
their guns, demanding his surrender,
and made counter demand for
their surrender, and parleyed with
them until the arrival of the advance
Iguard, who took them prisoners. He
must have pursued the same reck-
I less indifference to danger at home
las he did in the presence of the en-.
envy, for some twenty years after the
war, while at an entertainment in
{the keokuk opera house. | unayoid-
!, ably overheard conversation he
tween two strangers directly in front
Eof me, one of whom was recounting
! ito the other deed of daring in saw,
ing a human life performed by man
at fire az some town in Indiana. |
apologized for interrupting, and sug.
gested TO the relator that could
name his hero as he had not done so
as ! thought it very improbable that
any man In America would attempt
such feat as Just described. other
than my old comrade, Lieutenant sher.
, fey, whom 1t proved to he.
!, A short time previous to receipt Of
the welcome news from Washington
ahove referred to. we were informed
that all men serving on detached
duty in the signal CORPS. had been by
general orders from the war depart
tnent transferred TO the regular army
On receipt OF that order | was graft
fed to learn that In anticipation of the
!. successful termination of nv efforts
had been promoted TO the rank Of
sergeant, This was a position Ions
coveted by me, but as was the lates,
recruit in the corps, had rlaced IFS
acquisition for the present as beyond
my reach, Not long after this / wa:
rendered commission in the regular
army which for good reasons was
refused My pay as sergeant In the
signal corps, with extra allowance
for clothing, bounty for re-enlistment
/ servant TO attend to my horse with
cut additional cost. was much to b
preferred TO the position end raw Of
second lieutenant in the quarter
master department with ell its attend
ant worries and responsibilities.
As ranking sergeant could at my
E own pleasure take out small bodie.
e Of men on scouting and reconnofter
J ing expeditions This was branch
d OF the service al that .i,,,, S.fs, /.