Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-07-29
6 The CIVIL WAR IN MONTANA &6
When Confederate mU Union mpMuvc hham Virginia City, the Case CmdR Rogers Rebel Soldier and Union

This is my fathers statement Of the af-
fair, and silences those who claim Rogers
was not admitted. His name is also given
in Montana Historical Record, Vol. IL,
as n of the members of the first legis-
lature.
Col. Rogers was in every sense a gen.
tleman; Of medium height, slender of
figure, and with the bearing of n who
was well bred. He had fair hair and
beard, and blue or gray eyes. He was
universally respected by all who knew
him, including my father, whose duty 1t
was to oppose him.
The story has often been told Of the
erection of a flagstaff at Virginia City on
the eve of an early Fourth of July, by
some ardent Unionists. only to have it
cut down before the celebration took
place. by some equally ardent Confeder-
ates. AT once the Union men rallied, an
other pole was brought down from the
mountain: firmly planted III safely
guarded, n the glorious Fourth was
properly celebrated.
An amusing experience was mine while
living in Fort Benton, when calling On q
friend who came from the south. and
Sherman's march to the sea. / under
stood how she felt regarding the Lost
Cause" She was equally cautious about
wounding my feelings.
In the course Of our conversation, on
the day referred to, she CHANGED to
speak the work Yankee" and at once
fastened to apologize for having, as she
thought, tnsulted me. I said nothing,
but inwardly laughed, as my mine re-
verified to the days OF my youth, when
the town historion, in giving the roll
call of distinguished New ~Englanders
tried to impress III with his answering
belief that the Yankees were the salt OF
this earth. and the salvation of oul
country. My friend was brought up to
despise Yankees; and I was taught to
reverence them. AS Mr.. Dooley would say
And there We are"
All Southern women were not so con-
siderate as was this friend of mine
Northern women often had a hard time
Of 1t when they were In the company Of
Southern women. AS a rule, however
the former were forebearing, and did not
retort, as they might have done.
TIL news Of President Lincoln's assass-
ination led to violent expressions OF
feeling by both parties. Had 1t beer
confined to that, little harm would have
been done: blu 1t was whispered then
and later, that more than one man wa!
killed because Of the intense feeling
awakened in Confederate and Unionis'
alike by the story of the tragedy enacted
at Ford's theater in Washington.
<o 4 AAbFO AilC JAZZ u AACiBi4oOl
| child made a visit to us for the purpos'
OF announcing: Didn't we say so;"
"In eighteen hundred and sixty-five,
Abe Lincoln would be dead, and no
alive"
We made no answer, for we understood
that the child was sent to deliver thi
message by her Missouri parents.
After peace was declared, this Southern
element unwittingly operated against Thu
best interests Of the Territory, and IL
this we're aided by Northern sympathiz
ers. The calling of two illegal session
OF the Legislature entailed additional ex
pense, which the territory was then IL
no condition to assume. Then followe'
the fight with the judiciary, APPARENT
for nc reason but that these Judge
were to be appointed by President Lin
cause of the death of one man at tn
hands OF the ~vigilantes, n the TEN
porary resurrection of this organization
which would otherwise a gladly yield
ed its power to the courts.
1t was while this mutual antagonist
existed between the two parties, tn
name OF Edgerton county was change
to Lewis and Clark. Judge Pembertor
himself one OF the voluntary exiles fror
the Sunny South, in a lengthy articl
contributed to the Montana Histories
Records, denies that politics had any
thing to do with the transaction. Other
who were there at the time, tell q differ
ent story. Governor Edgerton was an az
lpointee OF President Lincoln, which we
sufficient to condemn him. It was ais
limited by those who understood the tru
inwardness OF the situation, hat tn,
action was the outgrowth as we'll, {
~antogonism to the governors nephey
and intimate friend, Col. Wilbur Fis
Sanders.
Some one has said. hat Montana, lk
Idaho, was never reconstructed 1t We
unnecessary. Time has wrought tn
miracle, and today descendants Of til
blacklist Of BLACK" republicans may (
found voting the democratic ticket, an
vice versa. History is making clear tn
fact that neither of the combatants 1
the Civil War knew the causes which lie
to 1t, and for which they 80 gallant
were willing to lay down their lives
defend. The relentless course Of even
used them as pawns in this great WI
game, n they were powerless to rests