Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, December 2, 1900, Page 33

Civil War as They Appeared in ’61 of v shooters hands. rond and T was in the act of handing clgars to my companions when a party bushwhackers armed with six- Invited us to throw up our “We were relieved of all our valua bles and our horses by the confeder- ates, who turned us loose in the woods to make our way back to camp as hest we could. Our colonel laughed at us R # for being so slow and gave us permis- WP sion to follow the bushwhackers and recover our valuables. We failed to locate the bushwhackers after a night spent in the woods. My mount was a é 0 N ] L] f \ it A il - o s J. R. MANCHESTER BEFORE HE BEGAN " RIDING IN A PRIVATE CAR. ) | mule, and I remember that the ex- 9 pedition jostled me up so badly that I l }{n-nt three days in bed. This oc- t- curred just after Lee's surrender, and 1 a little later I was mustered out of the I service and left Virginia.” h .*.é__ darly in 1861 Booneville was a fa- vorite recruiting station in northern New York. It was situated near the i) pineries, and here many of the broad- X houldered, double-fisted lnumbermen en- wered the service. Among a crowd of stalwart giants who were mustered in for service in the Ninety-seventh New York infantry was a slender boy, scearcely 16 years old, He had run away from home to enlist and swore ! 4 ..}tlmt he was 21 with all the confidence of a boy who is determined to go to war. “Twenty-one,” the colonel exclaimed, as he looked at the young stripling. “Why, you ain't big enough to carry a gun!” “Just try me once and find out,” the boy replied. “Well, we'll take you as a drummer,” { | le colonel said in a spirit of com- { romise. But that boy wasn't a drummer very long. He entered the army with the Intention of being an out-and-out sol- dler and there was better stuff in him T than in some of the burly lumbermen of by e n " V' Ml I 10 Wy o 1 It I I8 W "™AJOR JOHN B. FURAY WAS ONCE A SERGEANT. who were twice his size. When he left the army at the close of the war he garried a captain’s commission. The runaway boy was Captain J. R. Manchester, general claim agent for the Union Pacific road, and the photo- graph shown of him wae taken a few weeks after his colonel had attempted to dissuade him from entering the army. _(’L_ “Slim Jobn" was the sobriquet which Major John B. Furay carried through the civil war, and a glance at the major's picture, taken in war times, will show that the name was not ironical. “When the war broke out I was in Oberlin college, and it is not necessary to say that I entered the army at once, Oberlin was a hotbed of abolitionists and any man who would attend school HERE IS DR. ROBERT M. STONE. there in those days was xnown in the southern states as a ‘nigger worship- per.’ Lord Oberlin founded the school for the purpose of educating men and women of all breeds and colors and negroes were always received there,” said Major Furay “The town was one of the most celebrated stations on the underground railroad, and I can assure you it was no healthy place for a copperhead, “But to get back to my army experi- ences, 1 first entered the Seventh Ohio infantry. Then 1 was in the First Ohio cavalry, and ended up in the Eleventh Ohio ecavalry. The last regi- ment was sent west to fight Indians CAPTAIN H. E. PALMER BURDENED WITH EPAULETTES. and on September 3, 1865, we took part in the fight at Ranchester, the last en- gagement in which a volunteer regi- ment enlisted for service in the eivil war fired a shot. We passed through Omaha and I made up my mind that there would be a great city here some time. As soon as I was mustered out I came back to Omaha and have been here ever since.” ‘mong the officers who were with Winslow on the Kearsarge when he sent the Alabama to the bottom of the At- Inntic was an Omaha man, Daniel B, Sargent. This famous engagement took place just outside the harbor of Cher- bourg, France, June 19, 1864, and was one of the notable naval battles of the war. For two years the Alabama, Sumter and Florida had been plun- dering vessels which tlonted the Stars and Stripes and their destruction was a death blow to the confederacy. “After following the Alabama for a long time we finally located the vessel in Cherbourg harbor,” said Mr, Sar- gent, in describing the fight, “The Kearsarge took a position six miles out- side of Cherbourg harbor five days be- fore the encounter and waited for a chance to meet the rebel cruiser. We could not approach nearer the city without danger of iuternational com- plications, and it was so soon after the Mason and Slidell episode that we did not care to run any risk, The harbor was in plain view and we could see our enemy lying secure in neutral water, “*Shortly after 10 o'clock on the morn- ing of June 19 the Alabama moved toward the mouth of the harbor and we prepared for the fight., It was a beautiful day and all sorts of craft steamed out from Cherbourg to see the fight. The Kearsarge steamed toward the Alabama and, as it came within fir ing distance, turned toward the sen. Then both vessels began ing around in a circle and the began in terrible earnest, “At no time was the Kearsarge in danger. The aim of our gunners was sure, and in a little while the Alabama was punctured with holes along the water line. It was less than an hour from the time the battle began until the confederacy’s hest ship was sinking, Two boats were sent out from the Kearsarge and many of the crew were taken prisoners, An English excursion steamer cued most of the officers and they ped, We could have cap tured the little vessel, as it steamed for the coast of England, but there was some doubt as to our right to take the officers after they had been picked up by a vessel which was floating the Eng lish jack.” open mov hattle O8( In 1860 Captain Palmer arrived at Central City, Colo,, after having worked his way from Baraboo, Wis. For more FRANK B. CAMERA. BRYANT SHOT BY THE than a year he engaged In gold digging, but on July 7, 1861, he heard that Fort Sumter had been fired upon. He left the gold fields to enlist in the army. Fort Leavenworth was the nearest recruiting station, but the boy was not daunted by the distance and on July 31 entered the service, He was afterward appointed second lieutenant on General Lane's staff, In 1863 he was mustered in as captain in the Eleventh Kansas infantry and was detailed to fight Quantrell, the notorious guerrilla. T'wo years later he took part in the Powder River Indian expedition, el Don (. Ayer was among the Green Mountain boys who arrived at Washing- ton in June of 1863 and prevented the city from falling into the hands of Gen- eral Jubal A, Early. When the Sixth Army corps steamed up the Potomac President Lincoln was on the whart to greet the soldiers, “The president was the happiest man in Washington when our ships hove in sight,” saild Dr. Ayer. “He was greatly alarmed over General Early's encroach- ments and, although it was scarcely daybreak when we landed, the president came to meet us. He had not had any breakfast and several of the hoys gave him hardtack, which he ate with relish, “We marched to Fort Stephens at once, General Early was within rifle shot of the fortifications and we imme- diately opened fire on him. President Lincoln climbed up on a wall, where he could get a view of the engagement, Bullets were flying thick and upon the advice of se 1 officers the president sought shelter. Early in 1860 a military company was organized in Canton, O., by Captain James Wallace, Sixty-six boys joined the organization, A year later it was mustered into service as Company 1’ of the Fourth Ohio mfantry and be fore the end of the civil war every member of the original company was a commissioned officer. Captain Wal- lace called his company the Canton Zouaves, a name which clung to the organization during the war, It was in this company that William Wallace served for four years, Gen- eral Charles F. Manderson was also a Canton Zouave originally, but when the company went to the front he re mained at home and assisted in the JOHN GRANT AS A TENANT. FIGHTING LIEU- organization of the Nineteenth Ohio in fantry. The Zouaves joined the Army of the Potomac and took part in every battle from Fredevicksburg to Cold Harbor, B “Of all the officers with whom 1 was associated during the war 1 think Gen eral Sherman was the most considerante of his men,” remarked Dr. Vietor 11, Coffman, who served as surgeon of the Thirty-fourth Towa infantry. “While we were in the rear of Vieksburg 1 had about sixty smallpox patients, Things were getting too warm for us and it became necessary to retreat down the Yazoo river. T'he rebels were «os- ing in on us. We all supposed that the general would leave the smallpox patients behind that the confederates ght be infected. “We did not know General Sherman as well as we did afterwards, His first question was, ‘How long will it take to get the sick on board ship? 1 replied that thirty minutes would he sufficient He told me to take more time it 1 though it necessary and assured me that he would not leave until every one of the sick men, including those suffer ing with smallpox, was on hoard,” B The daily papers of published the death of March 7, Colonel ¢, 1862, . DANIEL B. SARGENT KEARSARGE. FOUGHT ON THE Frederick and heralded it from coast to coast that the gallant oflicer had been crushed by a horse while leading his men against the confederates at Pea Ridge. Colonel Frederick’s horse did fall on him and he was carried from the field by men who thought he was dead, but the gods of battle had further use for him. He rallied from his injuries, rejoined the Ninth Missouri Infantry and remained with the Army of the Southwest until the close of the war, In adddition to his service in the civil war he remained with the regular army for six years and rvetived after being ad- vanced to a brigadier generalship, B The scansion of Virgil had but little attraction for 16-year-old Bob Stone, who had been longing to enter the army for more than a year. As he sat in the Latin professor's lecture room of Deni- son university one morning late in May of 1863 he decided that his student days were ended. Denison university had sent nearly all its boys to war, but Bob's parents had refused to allow him to en list, Two days hefore his mother had gone from Granville to Cleveland, where they were attending A Baptist anniversary. He had promised faithfully to look after things at home while they were gone, but under his breath he had reiterated his vesolution to become a soldier, After borrowing £3 from his father's hired man, Dave Jones, the boy took one last look at his home and started for Cincinnati, Men were belng re crufted there for the ‘Twenty-first Ohlo battery and in two days he was on the gunboat Exchange standing guard over Co L Vallandigham, who had just bheen tried for treason and ordered into the southern lines, Such Dr. R M. Stone's entrance into the service, father and wias B “The explosion of the mine under Petersburg, Va., gave our troops a good Iden of what a combined earthquake and voleano would be like, 1 shall never forget the way the earth moved I waves after the mie was exploded and then the city ned to rise inon shower of fire, darkened by the forms of men and all sorts of debris,” snid Major R. 8. Wilcox, while ating his experiences with the Army of the Potomae, “For weeks our men had been burrowing under the confedernte city, and finally it was announced that the mine would be exploded at the first break of dawn the following morn ing. “That memorable day was June 30, ISG4, and it held in store for us a great disappointment, Although the ex- plosion was successful in every way, there were not enough forces thrown into the opening to take the city and we had to fall back. The city of Petersburg was admivably fortified, | remember there was one fort near the one we exploded which the Yankees called Fort Damnation, and another called Fort Hell. Y can testify that both of these posts were well named, for they used to pour lead into us with a flerceness which must have been in- spired by inhabitants of the lower re- glons, But I suppose the rebels thought the devil had something to do vith the mine which we placed under them with such deadly results,” Told Out of Court A well known legal organizer of the cor- porations popularly classed as ‘‘trusts,’” in explaining recently the functions of the legal organizer, sald: *“He must help to reconcile these conflicting interests, organ- Ize and fuse them into a whole, 8o that the enterprise will legally hold water and proa- ver. In further explanation he added: “An enterprise that can be made to pros- per honestly can generally be made to hold the water of the law." ——e In a Minnesota criminal trial not long ago the lawyer for the defense objected ‘to the admission of certain evidence, but the court allowed it on the theory that “‘some lati- tude” should be granted, Counsel for the defense, being surprised, muttered to him- self “Who in h—1 ever heard of allowing the prosecution latitude?' and then spoke to the judge and sald: ““Perhaps your honor had better give the prosecution a little longitude at the same time, as it seems to have lost its bearings completely.” il The lcgal, penal value of the epithets “lobster” and “liar" have been judiclally determined by the wesiern courts, The privilege of a lawyer using in court the word “lobster” was valued at $30 by the Judge In imposing a fine. In Missouri a man called his neighbor a llar over the tele- phone. Several other neighbors were lis- tening over the wires and the use of tie word caused a breach of the peace which Was satisfled by a fine of $12. The New York courts have held that the epithet “'scab” as applied by one person to another is unlawful, ROCE IS An Irish chief baron, who had before him a4 candidate charged with shee p stealing, #sked the prisoner what he had to say for himself. ure, me lord, father and me didn't meself and me grandfather all vote for your lordship when ye put up for Tip- perary? And, begorra, didn't we carry your lordship to the head of the poll?" The judge looked kindly at the prisoner and albeit the evidence was all the other way summed up strongly in his favor. The Jury recognized the state of affairs and the foreman said: “Well, my lord, 1 Suppose we must not call him gullty, but there'll not be a sheep left in the country at all, at all.” To which the chief baron replied: “Ah, niver mind, gentlemen, niver mind the mutton, acquit him and ate beef,”” and the sheep stealer left the court a free man,