The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1913-10-14
Capt. [. NJ. Brooks
Tells Stories of
Soldiers and Camp
Veteran Who Visited Gettysburg Tells
Delightful "reminiscences of En-
campment and Reunion
BEAUTIFUL SPIRIT is SHOWN
Arrangements at Gettysburg Complete
In All Details; Pennsylvania A
Splendid Host

Capt. E. M. Brooks, for twenty
years a resident of Minnesota and for
many years citizen of Redwood Falls
dropped in at The Gazette Office Satur-
dav after. 22.s7 and told some delightful
"reminiscences of war times as well
as many interesting condolences in
connection with his recent visit at Get
tysburg during the 2lncampment.
The Captain, 81 ! the Gettysburg
reunion has been touring points of his
tofic interest.in size company of cou-
pie of Confederate soldiers whom he
declares he found delightful compan-
IONS
Guests of Pennsylvania
In speaking of the Gettysburg en-
campment, Capt Brooks spoke of the
invitation, issued by the state of Penn
sylvania to all soldiers both Union and
Confederates, who had fought on this
battlefield, to meet together there.
This called together vast army of
veterans numbering $4,000 in all, a
large part being composed of soldiers
= wearing the gray uniform.
When The Boys arrived at Gettys-
burg they found that lavish prepara-
tons had been made for their enter
tainment. All arrangements had been
made with a view to the best of sani-
tation, and everything conducive to
comfort and health had been planned
for. Artesian wells had been drilled,
the water carefully analysed by expert
chemists, and piped to all points of the
grounds, drinking fountains, with the
water ice-cooled being everywhere evi-
dent.
Hospital Accommodations complete to
the smallest detail, had been arranged
for one thousand men. Very few, how
ever, were forced to make use of the
hospital and only ten of the old SOL
diers passed away.
Twenty-Five hundred cooks and help
ers were brought from the large cities
to provide food for the visitors. These
were selected according to references
showing their ability, and each was re-
quired to undergo physical examina-
ftion before entering upon his duties.
The Captain spoke whimsically of
the change in the present bill-of- fare
from that of fifty years ago. "Then
we had for breakfast bacon, bareback,
beans and coffee; for dinner beans, ba-
con, bareback and coffee; for supper,
bareback, beans, bacon and coffee.
This time we had all the dehcacies in
.reat variety and profusion.
Breakfast consisted of pulled rice
lied eggs. bacon, creamed potatoes,
bread and butter, hard bread and cof-
fee; dinner of, half fried chicken
peas, corn, boiled cabbage, ice cream
cake, coffee, cigars; supper, salmon
salad, macaroni and cheese, cherry pie
bread and butter, coffee, and iced tea
Pies were shipped in from Philadel-
phia several carloads at time, and so
perfect were the quarter-master's ar
engagements that one hour after their
arrival they were all distributed, under
the most sanitary conditions, to the
various carbohydrates.
Many Incidents of Interest
Many incidents, strange and anus
ing or pathetic, made this revisiting of
old scenes an ever memorable occasion
to The Boys.
The first morning after Capt
Brooks arrival man passed the camp
of which he was member and asked
Whose camp is this?" "The Yer
monters" was the reply. Huh" the
questioner grunted, might have
known it when heard them chewing
spruce gum when l passed at mid
night
Comrade Bentley of Rutland met six
North Carolinians and one woman
(the Captain emphatically remarked
that she couldn't under any conditions
be called lady.) The men had had a
long and pleasant chat when the WON
an spoke up very snappishly and said
Pm from North Carolina, too-the
state that started this war. And
want TO say Sherman's men were dirty
dogs" She continued making caustiC
remarks until she was breathless
when Mr.. Bentley took up the CONVEX.
sation- Madam, you say you are
from North Carolina ?" "Yes sir,
am-the state that commenced the
War" Welt remarked Mr.. Bentley