USA > Wisconsin > An illustrated history of Wisconsin from prehistoric to present periods : the story of the state interspersed with realistic and romantic events > Part 11
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ORIGIN OF THE FRENCH NATION.
empire disappeared with Augustulus their emperor. There is some- thing about the combative disposition of these barbarians towards each other, that forcibly reminds us of the pell-mell and free-for-all fights at the celebrated " Donnybrook fairs."
The kingdom and history of France commenced A. D. 481, under Clovis, who was elected king of the Salian Franks when he was sixteen years old. Clovis was the son of Childeric, and grandson of Meroveus, both celebrated chieftains of the Salian Franks of Tourney. The first queen of France was Clotilda, daughter of Chilperic, a Burgundian king. Historians agree that Clotilda was a young girl of the German royal line, charitable and pious, and a believer of the Catholic faith. The many sterling virtues of Clotilda undoubtedly had a salutary and lasting effect upon the Frankish tribes, who were as a rule, at that time pagans.
For the purpose of throwing more light upon the condition of affairs at that time, we will quote from M. Guizot's History of France, Vol. I., 110, III.
"While pursuing his course of plunder and war in eastern Belgia on the banks of the Muse, Clovis was inspired with a wish to get mar- ried. He had heard tell of a young girl, like himself of the Germanic royal line-Clotilda-niece of Gundebaud, at that time king of the Bur- gundians. She was clever, beautiful, wise and well informed, but her situation was melancholy and perilous. Ambition and fraternal hatred had devastated her family, her father, Chilperic, and her brothers had been put to death by her uncle Gundebaud, who had also caused her mother, Aggrippiana, to be thrown into the Rhone, with a stone around her neck, and drowned. Two sisters alone had survived the slaughter; the elder, Chrona, had taken religious vows, the other, Clotilda, was living almost in exile, at Geneva, absorbed in works of piety and charity." The principal historian of this epoch, Gregory of Tours, an almost contemporary authority, for he was elected bishop sixty-two years after the death of Clovis, says simply, "Clovis at once sent a deputation to Gundebaud to ask Clotilda in marriage. Gunde- baud, not daring to refuse, took her promptly to the king. Clovis was transported with joy and married her."
Prior to fighting a great battle against the invading Alemannians (German tribes) at Talbiac near Cologne, Clovis had promised Clotilda that if he were victorious he would become a Christian. After a hard fought battle Clovis and his legions were victorious. The king, true to his word (through the influence of Clotilda and St. Remi, the bishop of Rheims) embraced the Christian faith, and was baptized on Christmas day, A. D. 496, at the church of Rheims, together with his two sisters, and three thousand of his Frankish army. *
The influence of Clovis was greatly increased by his conversion to *See Life St. Remi.
ORIGIN OF THE FRENCH NATION.
Christianity. He was called " most Christian king " by Pope Anasta- sius, who also wrote, " The church, our common mother, rejoiceth to have born unto God so great a king." While Clovis was by no means a scholar, yet he formed the Salic law, which was a code of laws, prin- cipally governing the succession of Salic lands, and for the punishment of crimes. These were the first written Frankish laws, and the principles therein contained gave rise to the old French proverb, "Le royaume de France ne tombe point en quenouilli .*
When, shortly prior to A. D. 499, Clovis found that Gundebaud, king of the Burgundians, was doing some quiet political scheming that was injurious to the interests of the Franks, he entered Burgundy with his army, gave battle to and defeated the Burgundians at Dijon, and forced Gundebaud to take refuge in a fortified castle at Avignon, where he was besieged by Clovis, who finally raised the siege, by Gundebaud's agreeing to pay a stipulated annual tribute. Clovis, after having made Paris his military and political center, and having already conquered the Burgundians, and subdued the Gauls, then, with all the adroitness of a nineteenth-century politician, proceeded to subject and unite the independent Frankish tribes, who were under different chieftains, who called themselves kings. This he did by the forcible and persuasive method of extermination.
Clodéric, chief of Riparian Franks, refusing to confederate, his death was the penalty. Chaveric, chief of Toloune Franks and his son, Regnaccaire, chief of the Franks of Cambria, and his brother, Requier, were all slain by the hand of Clovis, for refusing to come into the con- federation. Last, but not least, came Rignomar, chief of the Franks of Le Mans, who was also slain by the order of Clovis, for the same reason.} So Clovis, through such persuasive methods, became sole king of the confederation of the Franks. While we cannot forget the numerous crimes, and cold-blooded murders committed by Clovis, we must take into consideration the age in which he lived, together with all his surroundings. His whole ambition and aim in life was to unite the Franks as one nation, and in this lie was not disappointed. Clovis not only united the Franks, but he laid the foundation and corner-stone of the French monarchy, and promulgated the Christian religion in France at the same time. This great man "who, amidst his vices and his crimes, was sufficiently great, and did sufficient great deeds to live forever in the course of ages," died at Paris, November 27, 511, and was buried in the church of St. Genevieve, ¿ at Paris.
Civilization and modern Christianity, can to-day afford to do justice to the memory of Clotilda, the first queen of France, by giving her *The Salic laws were written in bad Latin.
+A majority of the Franks were willing to join the confederation, but their chief- tains would not.
#St. Genevieve, built by Queen Clotilda, and then known as St. Paul and St. Peter.
ORIGIN OF THE FRENCH NATION.
credit for the good qualities of Clovis, and rounding and making more smooth the corners of his rough and rugged nature, and the establish- ment of Christianity as the corner-stone of the French monarchy. When the three thousand Frankish soldiers were baptized, and became Catholic converts, with Clovis and his sisters, it showed that the Franks had in their midst a pure and noble woman, of high morals and lofty ideas, and when the Church of Rome canonized and made her St. Clotilda, it cast no discredit, either upon itself or on the Frankish nation.
CHURCH OF ST. GENEVIEVE, PARIS.
Queen Clotilda died at Tours A. D. 545, after having lived the life of a devotee for many years, and was buried in the church of St. Genevieve, in Paris. It is said that her ashes are now in an urn in the church of St. Leu. A fine church and a statue have been erected in her honor at Paris.
[CONTINUED.]
ROMANCES OF A BRIGADE.
By J. A. WATROUS.
Author of "Our Friend's Story," "Richard Epps," "A Great Battle," "The Johnny Girl and Her Prisoner," "Corporal Ben," and other War or Semi-War Stories.
[CONTINUED FROM JANUARY NUMBER.]
Steps had already been taken to render the wounded soldier as comfortable as possible, but no one in his regiment expected to see him alive again. Captain Simmons' colored servant, who had been nurse to his gouty master in the days of slavery, was at the captain's side most of the time, including the long nights of agony.
The third day after he was taken to the hospital the surgeon said to Captain Simmons:
"We have done the best we can, captain; we have made three attempts to extract the bullet without avail, and dare not try again. You ought to know the worst. Dr. St. Clair and myself do not see how you can recover. If you have any business matters which need attending to before you go, I will aid you. Have you any messages to send home ?"
There was fire in the eyes of the suffering soldier, and a snap to his words, as he replied:
" Yes, I have several messages. Send word to my mother that I am only slightly wounded and that I will be home in a month. Send word to the commander of my regiment that I want to see him, if he can leave the boys; and also ask him to bring our surgeon along. My next message is to you. It is this: Don't come near me again."
"The poor fellow is losing his mind," said the young surgeon-a contract doctor-as he passed Robert, the captain's servant and nurse.
" Dar's whar yo' is mistaken, doctah. Dat's de capt'ns way. I'se been his man for mos' two y'ars and I knows. De capt'ns goin' ter git well."
After that speech Robert went to the cot upon which Simmons was lying and said:
" Massa Capt'n, I'se dun tole de sug'n yo's goin' ter git well, and now I'se cum to tell yo' so, too. I knows it. Las' night when yo' dun fell asleep fer a little time, I knelt by yo' side and axed de Lo'd to scuse yo' from dyin' jes' dis once, and de anser came right back dis way: 'Do yo' part, Robert, and yo' new mastah will cum out dis yer trubble and do a whole mess mo' fightin' o' dem rebbels. O, yes, massa, yo's mor'n half cured, now. Jes' yo' hang on 'till de reglar rig'ment doctah comes; he and de cunnel ken fix yo'. Da alls will char yo' up right smart,"
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" Robert, of course I shall get well. Ten days from now I shall start for my Wisconsin home, and I shall want you to go with me. Will you go?"
" Dat I will, massa capt'n, dat I will. I'se goin' to stan' by yo' 'till yo' tells me to clar out."
" There is something eating a hole through my hip, Robert; turn me over and see if you can't stop the terrible pain."
" For de Lo'd sakes, massa, da's er bunch dar as big as my fis'. One o' dem bums mus' er hit yo' dar. De spot am as black as I is, massa. Ise 'fraid dat's a bad sign. De sug'n dun said mercification set in. Do mercification mean dat yo's got to die, massa! I hopes not."
Captain Simmons felt easier in his mind than he had at any time since he fell on the battle field. That big bunch helped him in his belief that he would get well. Now he was sure of it. He was so sure of it that he felt like amusing himself at Robert's expense.
"So you prayed for me last night, did you, Robert?"
" I did dat, massa."
" And you got an answer?"
" Yes, massa. De Lo'd dun promised me dat yo'd git well."
" And you are expressing fear that mortification will kill me, after such a promise ? Robert, you have little faith."
"O, yes I has, massa, but I don' reckon de Lo'd had seen whar dat bum hit yo' when he dun made dat promise. De boys in de bres' works says it's good-by when one o' dem bums comes prowling aroun' an' hits er man."
You ask why Simmons brightened up after black Robert's discov- ery. Because he knew that the bullet which the surgeons had nearly killed him in probing for in his body three times, had been located by his servant, and could be removed without difficulty. The big black bunch contained the rebel bullet that had sent him to hospital, if not. out of the army.
Simmons, in his most solemn and earnest manner, asked:
" Robert, are you a surgeon?"
" Me, massa ? Me a sug'n; yah, yah. De doctah mus' er been right when he said yo' min' was failin'."
"I'm in my right mind and serious. Robert, have you a sharp knife ?"
" I ain't got no knife, yer, massa, but I'se got er razer. All us black. boys keeps er razer. Will dat do?"
" That will do. Take your razor and make a quick, deep cut into that black bunch on my hip."
There was a look of horror on the black man's face when the order was given, but it was quickly chased away by an ivory-exhibiting laugh, followed by this from Robert:
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ROMANCES OF A BRIGADE.
"Yo' dun scar'd de life mos' out'n me, massa. Ob cos yo' don' mean dat. I might'n ter kill yo', den whar would dis black man go ter?"
" I want you to do as I told you. Cut a deep gash into the bunch with your razor, and do it at once."
" I don' reckon I ken do dat, massa. I'll git de sug'n. He knows how to do it."
Simmons was getting mad. He knew that that bullet was respon- sible for most of his pain; that its removal would give him great relief. Under his pillow was his revolver. Drawing it forth he pointed it at Robert and said:
"Now, you black rascal, do as I tell you. The surgeons have nearly murdered me searching for that bullet. You have found it. I will not allow that surgeon near me again and I want that bullet taken out, now, without waiting for another surgeon. You cut it out or I will cut you down."
Black Bob was terrified. He started to say something, when Simmons said:
"Go to work, now, or I will go to shooting."
The razor was drawn forth and opened. Simmons rolled over and the deed was done, but it was too much for Black Bob; he fell back in a dead faint.
Simmons, nervy and plucky as ever, pressed the bunch, from which blood was flowing freely, and a calibre 58 ball, long and ugly in looks, fell upon the cot. Then it was Simmons' turn to take a long breath and almost pass into unconsciousness. Only his unusual will power saved him from a dead faint. Half an hour later a surgeon had been called, the wound dressed and Black Bob was himself again. The first thing the colored surgeon said upon returning to consciousness was: " Is.yo' live, massa capt'n? Dun tho't I'd killed yo' ?"
" I am not only alive, but my worst pain has disappeared. Here- after you are not Robert, but Doctor. If anybody asks where you graduated tell him that you got your sheep-skin at the open mouth of a six-shooter."
Dr. Bob's answer to this was a yah, yah, and a show of as white a set of teeth as one would care to see.
Two weeks later the wounded officer, still unable to stand, was loaded, with hundreds of others, some worse off than himself, on to a freight train and started for home. Dr. Bob was with Captain Simmons and did all he could to make him comfortable, but the three days and nights required to reach the Mississippi river, where he took steamer for La Crosse, were days and nights of the keenest torture he had ever suffered. The bed of straw was hard indeed, and the road was rough and the numerous sudden jerks incident to rides on a freight train, were enough to wear out a well man to say nothing about a half dead man. The reader can imagine the sufferings of these hundreds of wounded
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ROMANCES OF A BRIGADE.
heroes during that long ride. The trip from St. Louis to Prairie du Chien was not remarkable beyond any of the scores of trips the steamer had made.
While lying at the wharf at the Wisconsin city named, the steamer's boiler exploded, scattering passengers and goods in all direc- tions. Captain Simmons was among those thrown into the river. Black Bob had escaped without harm, and seeing his new master in danger threw off his soldier coat and plunged into the swift-running water. He caught Simmons as he was sinking for the second time and swam to the shore, where a great crowd cheered and cried and took on like half crazed people. Captain Simmons was placed in a St. Paul ware-house and given the best of care until he was strong enough to be removed to a hotel. Here it was discovered that, in consequence of lack of attention, gangrene had set in and the wound was giving him great pain. That afternoon he was delirious and ordered his servant to put him out of his misery-to shoot him. This seems shocking, but such pleas were often made by wounded men, and that, too, while they were conscious. I know a Milwaukee man who complied with the repeated and earnest appeals of a fellow soldier to take his life. He knew he must die; the surgeon had told him so, and the racking pain was more than he could bear. His friend finally yielded and gave him a large dose of morphine. He swallowed it like one starving and said " thank you-thank you," and died.
This time Dr. Bob knew sure enough that his young master was not in his right mind; he also knew that the revolver was in his posses- sion, so he disobeyed orders.
That night there was in the hotel a company of railroad men. The attention of one of them was attracted by a reference to the wounded captain. He asked:
" What did you say his name is ?"
" Captain George Simmons, of La Crosse."
"I want to see him."
"This way," said Dr. Mason, an army surgeon home on leave.
Simmons had awakened from an unrestful nap. The railroad man asked:
" Are you the young man who was studying law with Levisee at La Crosse ?"
" Yes, sir."
" Can I do anything for you ?"
" I want to get home. I live at La Crosse. Guess I'm done for,
now. Am sure nothing but home can save me, and I fear that, even, cannot. When does the next boat go up the river ?"
"How soon will you be ready to start ?"
" Just as soon as they can carry me to a boat."
"A boat will be ready to take you to La Crosse in twenty minutes."
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ROMANCES OF A BRIGADE.
The railroad man gave orders to have the company's boat that had just arrived from St. Paul, and was to start back next morning, to return as far as La Crosse that night. An hour later Captain Simmons was on his way up the river, a special passenger on a special boat, and. an hour later Lawyer Levisee, of La Crosse, received this dispatch:
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN, WIS., Aug. 12, 1864.
Meet Captain George Simmons on up boat, at 5 o'clock in the morning. S. S. MERRILL.
Mr. Merrill had heard the attorney for his company, Mr. Levisee, tell about his soldier boy, and lost no time in helping him on his way home.
Levisee and a few others were at the landing when the steamer arrived. While they were debating as to the best way to convey the almost helpless soldier to the lawyer's home, Dr. Bob tenderly took him in his arms and carried him the whole distance without resting. In the first place, Dr. Bob was a powerful man. In the second place, Cap- tain Simmons was a small man and since the 22d of July, the day upon which he was wounded, he had lost over thirty pounds.
It was a sorrowful procession which followed the lawyer and Dr. Bob through the streets, before sunrise, that August morning. In the company was a loving brother of Captain Simmons, a newspaper man. He scarcely knew his brother, the change was so great. He had heard Levisee when that gentleman said, "I am afraid that my poor soldier boy has come home to die," and tears were creeping over his cheeks.
The captain's brother drove out to Mormon Cooly that morning and before noon Mrs. Simmons had met her son. I cannot describe the scene. The deathly pale face, sunken eyes, extreme weakness, all seemed to say to this loving mother that the end was not far off. Like the brave woman that she was, her son saw no signs of distress in his mother's face, but when she sat in the shade of the young maple in front of the Levisee home, she found relief in tears.
By direction of Mr. Levisee the best medical skill in the city was called, and a dispatch was sent to Milwaukee, requesting that Surgeon General E. B. Wolcott, famed as a physician and surgeon, come to La Crosse for consultation in an important case.
Dr. Wolcott, though pressed for time, spent an entire day examin- ing the patient and in prescribing.
" Can you give me any hope, Doctor?" asked Mrs. Simmons.
" My good woman, lots of it. Your son has an iron will. He will pull through. He needs and will have a mother's care. Within a month we will have him on the streets, and in less than three months he will be back in the field."
Dr. Wolcott was right. Three weeks from the day Captain Sim- mons reached La Crosse, a good deal more dead than alive, he rode out to his Mormon Cooly home and there he seemed to gain faster than
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ROMANCES OF A BRIGADE.
ever. Every day saw him wandering about the dear old farm upon which he had wrought from his early boyhood up to the day he left to study law.
It was along toward the close of September that Lawyer Levisee visited the captain. During that visit this conversation took place:
" Have you resigned, captain?"
"Certainly not. I am going back to my company. I shall be all right before winter."
"So you can't be induced to give it up and go back to your studies ?"
"Not until the war is over. My duty is with my men as soon as I have recovered sufficiently to warrant a return."
The next day Lawyer Levisee left for Madison. Meeting Governor Lewis on the street, he said, in the blunt way that has always been a striking characteristic, " I have come over for a colonel's commission, governor, and as I am driven with work I wish you would have it made out so I can start back on the noon train."
"I shall be glad to do so, Mr. Levisee. I have often thought you would make a capital regimental commander."
"No trifling, governor, no trifling. I don't want it for myself. I want it for a man ten times as brave and worthy as I am. I want it for Captain George Simmons, whom Governor Salomon, at my request, over two years ago, made adjutant of a regiment. He is at home, recovering from a bad wound, but is bent on going back to the front as soon as he gets a little more strength."
Levisee got off on the noon train and carried his colonel's commis- sion with him. Two days later the La Crosse Daily contained a long sketch of Colonel George Simmons, enumerating his services, now known to my readers. The new colonel knew nothing of the promotion until he read it from a copy of the paper that had been sent him by his brother.
A month later Colonel Simmons was busily engaged in recruiting and organizing his regiment, and early in January, 1865, he broke camp at Madison and went to Tennessee. Early in the spring his regiment was transferred to a Kentucky city. While stationed there he formed the acquaintance of a charming young lady. In June, 1865, Colonel Simmons came home and himself and regiment were mustered out of service, he having been a soldier for more than four years and had earned his way from a private to the command of a regiment For two years he made use of every minute he could in acquiring a knowl- edge of the law, at the end of which time he was admitted to practice. With less than $500 in his pocket he went to the Kentucky city mentioned, opened an office and began to practice. A year from then, or in 1868, he had won several important suits, one of which brought him large returns. He had also won the heart and hand of the young
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lady and married her. Two years later he was elected to congress, but his opponent contested and won the seat. While Colonel Simmons was in Washington looking after his rights he became personally acquainted with President Grant, who was very much pleased with the young lawyer. The day after it was decided that he could not have a seat in congress, President Grant sent for Colonel Simmons and offered him an appointment as associate justice of one of the territories. This he accepted and served two or three years, but finding that the chances for getting ahead either financially or politically were not encouraging, he resigned and removed to Colorado and resumed practice. He soon found a large return in mining cases. Good fortune smiled upon him. In 1884 he had reached the half million dollar mark and concluded that he would try politics again. He sought and received an election to congress. A week after election I received a letter from him in which he spoke of the promise I had made him the fall of 1861, while we were going from the capital to our camp in the rear of the Lee mansion, to visit the Representatives gallery and take a look at him when he reached congress. I kept the promise. Colonel Simmons made more than an average congressman. He served two terms and declined further honors in that direction. He is now one of the great lawyers of Denver, one of its rich men ; and Dr. Bob is his coachman.
SIRE AND SON.
Devoted to a Discussion of Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty, the Patriotic Creep of the
G. A. R., W. R. C., S. OF V., AND L. A. S. BY E. W. KRACKOWIZER.
TRUE allegiance to our national government must be based on a devoted fidelity to its constitution and an enlightened respect for its laws.
Wherefore it is the fundamental purpose of these orders to discourage every word and act tending to weaken loyalty or to incite insurrection, treason and rebellion ; and to encourage every thought and deed seeking to quicken patriotism or to sustain equitable justice and just equality for all.
Hence, it should be our constant aim to arouse and keep alive in our ranks both by precept and by practice a spirit of genuine, growing patriotism.
Every consideration of enlightened citizenship and of intelligent public spirit constrains us, therefore, to the study of our country's history ; and while much may, no doubt, be done in this direction by individual effort, yet much more general and generous results can be achieved by united action. It has accordingly, been made obligatory upon Sons of Veterans to devote at least one Camp meeting monthly to an appropriate patriotic entertainment, wherein their affiliated societies are earnestly urged to participate.
But it is not intended that these patriotic entertainments shall pattern after the G. A. R. "camp fire," wherein, quite naturally and appro- priately, personal reminiscences and the oft-told tales of contemporary experiences are the never-failing delight of our fathers. Instead we, their sons, need solid instruction and picturesque demonstration to make those days and deeds take hold of our imagination and fire our hearts as living realities. Hence our studies, to avail, must be syste- matic, thorough and persistent, yet no less inviting, interesting and entertaining. And the three essentials stimulative of a rational and sustained enthusiasm for and in such studies are good books, vivid pictures and live songs.
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