Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1921-02-17
LETTER To
COMRADE
WRITTEN BY GEO. c. BUSH TO NJ.
TEL. LYNN OF THIS CITY.

Inc letter u0GCEIDGS MI huSu re-
cent visit to Camp Arlington" and |
points of interest about Washington.
D. C.
My Dear Comrade:
In a recent closing of a letter to
you, alluded to trip | had made to
the place of my birth and childhood
home, situated in the Highlands" on
the Hudson river, some sixty miles
above New York City, and further
stated that l had visited our old
Camp Arlington" of 61-62
While you may have been equally
fortunate, | am disposed to give you
-ome of the impressions / experienced
and information CLEANED during few
hours stay on that now sacred sanctu-
airy. What follows will be understood
to be written to one who has not been
on the ground since the brigade oc-
cupied it as our first camp during the
winter of 1861 and '62. In passing it
may be noted that the brigade was
composed at that time of the I'd, 9th
and 7th Regis. of Wis. Vol Init. and
ccpmanded by Rufus Kink also a
Wis. man. The Badger Boys in some
manner picked up the name Of the
"Western Brig later 'Iron Brigade"
Another fact not generally known is
that the State of Wisconsin furnished
more men for the army of the East
(Arnly of the Potomac) than any state
west Of Pennsylvania Omitting the
1st Wisconsin 3 months men, the con-
secutlve numbers up to and including
the 7th all received their first lessons
IN active army life within cannon
sound of the capital of the Z. S. A.
The 9th Wisconsin, a near neighbor
to US, was camped during the winter
some two or more miles south and
near Alexandria. The latter place was
made famous as being the point where
first flowed the blood of a northern
older en- Confederate soil" When
Colonel Ellsworth led the first New
York Zouaves across the river on
Long Bridge-now only marked by
few piles-and on reaching Alexandria
Reble flag was seen floating from
hotel. The Colonel demanded it be
removed. The proprietor refused to
do so and the Colonel assembled to the
roof, tore it from it's staff and replaced
it with the Stars and Stripes In de-
cending from the roof Col. Ellsworth
met the proprietor on a stairway and
was shot dead. Marshal (the assas-
SAM was met on his return by one of
the regiment who made it double
tragedy on the spot. The building was
soon a wreck and though a guard
was put over it, it was soon completely
| dlsmantled and carried away piece
meal as souviners.
The general lay of the ground of
the old camp has not changed. The
timber line" just at the brow of the
hill or slope towards the river still
ren aims, making it very easy to mark
the locations of the different reei-
ments. 1t will be recalled that the 9th
regiment was on the right-the right
Of the 7th-joining on the left of the
9th and the right of the End, separated
by a road, joined the 7th on the left.
The road remains intact The trollv
line up from the river parallels it
from the Georgetown crossing. The
latter now made on foot over an old
craaking, loose-f1oored bridge. A
modern structure is, however, under
construction.
The cemetery proper is on the left
ct the road and Immediately in the
rear of TIE camp grounds of the I'd
regiment and the fort, the outlines of
which are still visable The most i'm
pressive sight at Arlington is the
held of the dead. The stones, about
feet IN height, are in rows uniform
In distance, one from the other, ar
ranged in order and marshalled as
battalions for review. A silent army
CT upwards of 1900 strong upwards
Of two thousand OF whom are nameIess
gathered here in one common grave
deprived Of the individual measure of
fame which each one by his daring
and dying merited, and denied the
poor desert of recognition or even
Identification. Their names. their
homes, their friends, all unknown.
The simple STORY is told in the let
tiers chiseled on the monuments
granite face.
The Colonial Danes of America"
erected a beautiful monument of
pyramid form to the memory of the
soldiers and sailors of the Spanish
American war in the name of the
women of the nation Another hand
some bronze monument of shaft con-
struction was erected by the ''Daugh-
tiers of the Confedracy" as their tri-
butte to the soldiers and sailors of the
Lost Cause"
Another section shows a huge block
# solid granite to the memory of
the Rough Riders" of the Spanish
american war Many of the officers
OF the United States army and navy
ind a final resting place in the quiet
and Beautiful Arlington"