The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1915-05-25
VETERANS STORY
OF WAR CAREER
Had Learned to Obey, and Con-
sequentIy Successful When
He Came to Command.

THE life story of a veteran, whose
rise in the commercial field was
from errand boy to head of the
firm, and whose elevation on the bat
tlefield was that from private to cap
tain. He had the old soldiers mod
esty and wariness of bombast, but the
character or the man shows through
his whole explanation. His war rec
ord and his high position in the city's
responsibility speak for themselves.
Before 1 was twelve years old |
had to go to work somewhere, and,
searching around, found one-dollar-
a-week position in a wholesale cloth
ing store. 1t was the old story of go
ing to work early and quitting late.
AS I grew older and found more
things to do they piled responsibility
upon me. 1 learned at this point the
things which have made me success
full in later years. l developed the
qualities of dispatching duties with
precision and exactness. / also learned
to obey orders. When one of the
heads of the firm snapped out some
thing at me did it, and did it quick.
This training was of lneStimable value
On the field and helped much in my
promotion.
All the agitation between the North
and South I followed closely in the
papers. | was enthusiastic for the
Union, and when the fort was fired
upon l enlisted. I was then seven
teen. I was young, too young, per-
haps, but my body was strong and
well knit for my age, and l suppose
I was older in experience than many
of my seniors. l felt at home with
men older than l, mainly because l
had developed a responsibility and Sc
robustness through hard work from an
early age
While we were in camp / was made
corporal. 1t was a minor post, but
there were some duties to be per
formed. l went about them quickly
and directly, as I had been trained to
do with all details which crossed my
line of duty. 1 learned the discipline
and conduct of the camp, to say little,
and to jump when spoken to-
In the Army of the Potomac.
We were ordered from camp and
Joined the Army of the Potomac.
was not badly frightened in the first
battle. l was simply nervous and
afraid of being afraid. When we re-
ceived orders to charge, however, all
shakiness left me, and I went into
the fray concerned only with doing
what l was told to do.
Through those first campaigns |
was just one of the rank and file.
Nothing out of the ordinary happened
to me. A bullet cut through my
clothes once, but did not break the
skin. A queer thing about that Incl
dent was that l had silk handker-
chief in my breast pocket, and the
bullet, slicing through the folds, put
% distinct and separate holes in it.
The ball ran around my body and
dropped inside my belt
l was made captain just before
Lookout mountain because the cap
tain and first lieutenant were killed.
/ had risen from corporal to sergeant
and to second lieutenant IN rapid or
der, My promotions were not the
result of any dramatic denouements
or grandstand heroics. 1t was all in
the days work Men dropped out here
and there, and l went up by degrees.
1t was the natural order OF events,
and the result of doing my duty and
obeylng orders.
1t was my lot to be in most OF the
important battles fought by the Army
of the Potomac. l served at Ante
tam, Gettysburg, and all the rest. Then
we were transferred to the West, and
served in the battle of Lookout
mountain. l remember that battle in
particular because / came the
nearest to death in that fight Of any.
1t was just after / had been made
captain, and | was, where l was sup
posed to be, out in front of Che troops
on the climb The Confederates were
at the top of the mountain, and here
and there among the fir trees, pop
ping at US, then volleying and cannon