USA > Wisconsin > History of the First Wisconsin Battery Light Artillery > Part 20
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Upon leaving Brashear City the commandant of the post addressed the following letter to Lieutenant Webster:
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"Headquarters United States Forces, "Brashear City, La., December 12, 1863.
"Lieutenant Daniel Webster, Commanding 1st Wisconsin Bat- tery.
"Lieutenant: I desire to express to you, your officers and members of your company, my sincere regret at the with- drawal of your Battery from this post. Although I have made the personal acquaintance of very few of them, yet I have formed an unusually strong affection for your command. In nearly three years' service I have not met a finer or more quiet (in this connection 'quiet' is good; '13th A. C. caught another crab!') set of men, and I beg you to tender to one and all my best wishes for their success and a safe return to their homes and friends, after a brilliant career which, I trust, awaits them. Good-bye; God bless you all. J. TARBELL.
"Colonel Commanding Post."
HISLLET RATHBUN.
CHAPTER XV.
"All honor to the twenties and the far-reaching thirties, But I loved the little three-inch when
Their lips were red with battle
And their throats were hoarse with smoke."
O NCE in the cars, and after giving three hearty cheers for Colonel Tarbell, we bid farewell to Brashear City and steamed away for the Crescent City, where we were assigned comfortable quarters in yards 1 and 2 of the Levee Steam Cotton Compress, in the lower part of the city. These yards were about 400 feet long and one of them was about the same width, while the other was fully half that width. The former was used as quarters for the men and officers, while the other was used for the guns and horses. These vards were enclosed with brick walls about 15 feet high, with openings only on the streets. One side of the yards were covered as sheds some 50 feet in width. The yards and sheds were floored with broken shells and were hard and dry. The 30-pounder guns were turned in to the Ordnance Department and six three-inch Rodman guns issued to us in their stead. We kept the horses we brought with us, but there was not. enough of them to equip the new organization, and as there were no horses to be had in the Department just at that time we were considerably "short" on horses. In the meantime the drill in the manual of the piece, the saber exercise and foot drill was kept up daily, as was also a riding school wherein the cannoneer was drilled in mounting, sitting, and guiding the horses.
Captain Foster, though in the city, was on duty at corps headquarters and seldom visited the Battery, only as he came to see how the matter of veteranizing progressed. We had been in the city but a few days when the veteran enlistment roll. which had been left at the headquarters tent that it might. be convenient should anyone wish to sign it, was missing and could nowhere be found. It was supposed that someone who had signed it had become sick of his bargain and took that way to free himself therefrom. Another one was soon pre- pared, however, and if not the same names procured thereto, they were just as good ones. It worried the Captain a little, though. to have the thing occur in his own Battery, for if that should "go back" on him how could he expect that others would flock to his standard.
Winter is the business and social season in New Orleans. and at this time the city was full of officers and soldiers. This
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made business lively and all places of amusement were liber- ally patronized, especially, by the boys in blue. The ladies of the city were principally "secesh" and affected the utmost con- tempt for the Union soldier or officer, particularly when the latter was in uniform; but let one of them put on citizen's clothing and the society women would readily accompany him to the theater, eat the oysters or drink the wine he paid for with as good a grace as if he were one of their own "Johnnies." But on the street they were careful that their clothing should not touch the garment of the officer they should meet. In the street cars they would contemptuously refuse a proffered seat if offered by a Union soldier. Let it be said to the credit of the latter, that they very seldom, if ever, were known to sit in a crowded car while a woman was standing without at least offering his seat to her, a thing which cannot be as truthfully said of the chivalric sons of the South that were then in the city.
One of the cotton vards across the street from the Battery headquarters was used for a Confederate prison, and the pris- oners confined therein were furnished by the Government with the same rations that the troops in the field were, and they were also given quarters well fitted up, and plenty of bedding. In addition to this the friends of the prisoners were permitted to visit and to carry to them anything they pleased, and it was no uncommon sight to see wagon loads of supplies brought to them, among which were wines and champagne, while there was a constant stream of lady visitors going and coming all the day. This was in strange contrast to the treatment ac- corded the Union prisoners in the prison pens of the South. The prisoners taken by the Confederates at Carrion Crow Bayou in November were paroled and returned to New Orleans about this time, and their appearance did not indicate that they had enjoyed many of the bare necessaries of life, saying nothing of the comforts or luxuries. They had sold the buttons off their clothing to the rebs for 25 cents each and had bought pork with the proceeds at $1 per pound.
Up to this time the rebel citizens had professed to believe that the Confederate forces would soon return and repossess the land. But this feeling was growing beautifully less as the days rolled by until they were now ready to agree in the opin- ion expressed in an intercepted letter, "That it really began to look as if the Yankees were going to stay."
General Banks pleased the wealthier class much better than did General Butler. but when it came to the masses and the poorer people and the Union men of all grades the former was not "in it" with the latter. who was. with them. the most popu- lar General or man in the Union. The bitterness of the South- ern people seemed to center on the Eastern men and soldiers,
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particularly those of New England, as was illustrated by the following incident. Lieutenant Webster was en route to the Barracks Hospital one Sunday and found himself and two ladies the sole occupants of a street car. The ladies not only seemed to feel a contempt for him, but did what they could to show it. As the Lieutenant did not expect to marry in that country he quietly looked on and enjoyed their contempt. A change of cars was necessary, which change took place in the suburbs, where there were very few people about, and as they did not know which of two or three lines to take they were con- siderably worried. The Lieutenant, seeing their dilemma, gave them the information and passed on into the proper car, they following. Shortly the elder of the two asked if he was from Massachusetts? and when told that he had never been east of central New York State and was from Wisconsin she replied promptly and with animation, "O, you are a Western man; you will do;" and then became very social and pleasant.
The large shed in the yard occupied for quarters was en- closed and two large box stoves put in for heating purposes. At one end of the room was a long table on which was kept all the leading daily papers, the illustrated weeklies and the prin- cipal monthlies, which were furnished by the members of the Battery and paid for by a weekly stipend. Orders were very strict concerning the daily "olicing of the camn and stables. which duty was as a rule very satisfactorily performed, but upon one occasion Lieutenant Webster discovered that there had been something important neglected and as a punishment therefor ordered that no more passes should be given to visit the city for one week. This created considerable feeling in camp, and several of the non-commissioned officers who felt that they were the ones that were to suffer most by the order. visited the Lieutenant and wanted to throw up their posi- tions? Webster listened to and reasoned with them awhile, refused to release them and sent them to their quarters, where they went feeling, with the whole company, that they were abused unjustly; but. all the same, we had the nicest camp in the city when the week was up.
One day the camp was visited by an agent from the Chris- tian Commission. who left a quantity of tracts, papers and small books of a religious cast in the reading room. The Lieu- tenant was surprised to see him pull a greasy pack of cards out of his pocket, and promptly refused to take a hand, as he considered the game sinful; but the missionary at once pro- tested that he did not play, did not know one card from an- other, etc. Webster told him that the men who did not know the cards were the best players and surest winners in the world. Still he protested and said he found two negroes playing with them and had traded a new book for the cards. It was sug-
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gested to him that the negroes could not read, and that the book would be useless to them, while he could not play, and the cards were of no use to him, therefore it was a bad bargain all around. The agent said that the colored men might learn to read, and the Lieutenant offered to furnish an instructor for him that he might learn to play the cards, but he declined the offer and immolated the said cards there and then upon the Lieutenant's fire.
One evening in December Heckman and Cameron were sit- ting near the door in the second tier at the varieties theater, and as an interlude a girl was alleged to be singing a song, but she couldn't sing a little bit. At the close the claquers loudly and longly encored ; one black moustached, French-looking son of Israel rushing to the front along behind the chairs and ap- plauding in an apparent ecstacy of enthusiasm. The girl re- peated the allegation with another selection. Again the chief claquer-who. by the way, was a special police-rushed for- ward and succeeded in having the girl return. As he was pass- ing to the door Heckman, with that peculiar aggravating lift- ing of his moustache asked him the wage he received for pre- cipitating the repetition of the infliction. With a ferocious air he shouted, "You keep still, or I'll put you out." Heckman questioned the advisability of the attempt, and Cameron sug- gested that about a regiment such as he would be necessary for the detail. Our French friend shouted something and dis- appeared through the door into the foyer, and the curtain went up on act second and all were engrossed with the play. Suddenly. from the rear, appeared five specials, headed by our former friend, who anchored into Heckman's heavy black hair and proceeded to drag him over the back of the chair, which was firmly fastened to the floor. and out into the foyer. That is, he dragged him about a half or maybe three-quarters of an inch, when Heckman, with a pained expression. rose up, re- leasing his hair en route, smashed the special a half-arm left- hander. dragged him over the chair, jammed him down be- tween the chair rows and proceeded to introduce his army bro- gans to his ribs. The next day he assured Heckman the vol- ume of pity he would incite did we but know how sore his ribs were. In the meantime two others pounced on to Heck- man's shoulders, but he shook them off and continued the in- troduction ceremony. the victim in the meantime getting his head under the anchored chair. Cameron, just recovering from some months siege of malarial poisoning, had not more in him of force. save temper, than was in the half-pint flask that he smashed across the second fellow's face. While he was picking the splinters of glass out of his features, the other two seized and started for the door with Cameron. All was now uproar in the house, and artillery jackets were hastening
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to the two pieces engaged. Civilians flew the coop and women screamed. Lieutenant Webster, commanding the Battery, was down in the dress circle, where the action was hid from his view; but General Arnold, Chief of Artillery for the Depart- ment of the Gulf, was in a box, where he witnessed all. Jim McConnell pacified the women, assuring them that it was a little harmless pleasantry of his boys, who were the soul of gal- Jantry and doted on women. Summey slipped up through the turmoil and handed one of Heckman's assailants a zephyr that sent him to the rear, while Phil Welch came striding across the chairs, and clutching the other by the neck flipped him over the horseshoe into the parquet below. Harvey Starling seiz- ed Cameron, dragging him and his captors back, while some one else knocked 'em loose. By this time the regular police began to arrive until some 60 and the Chief were in the theater. Heckman collided with a gigantic regular and they went rocking away out into the foyer struggling for posses- sion of his club. Fortunately no policeman used his club or his gun. Had he, we'd been fighting yet. Some of the cooler ones cried out, "Don't fight the leather heads;" recognizing con- stituted authority. The giant policeman afterwards remarked that Johnny was the best man he ever got hold of.
They landed Heckman and Cameron in a cage at the station house. Presently there was joined to them Summey and Welch. In a quarter of an hour the corridor door was un- locked and over the echoing flagstones, escorted by two police- men, came Frank Downs, and they put him in the cage along with those four sinners, but what he had to do with the row we have never been able to find out. The next morning one of our specials, with his arm in a sling, came down the corridor and, pausing in front of the cage, asked how they liked it now. Downs requested to know why he was locked up, and the fel- low snarled, "You kicked me." "Indeed," said Downs, earn- estly, "if you will let me out of here, and let me have one kick at you, you will know that I never before kicked you." It is safe to wager that had Downs' proposition been acceded to the fellow would have been thoroughly convinced, and died.
Lieutenant Webster was much annoyed at his boys kicking up such a riot, knowing nothing of the circumstances of the beginning. and the next morning calling at headquarters on official business General Arnold remarked that some of his boys got into trouble last night at the theater. Webster began to deprecate their conduct, when the General interrupted with, "I saw it all. They are good boys, and should be seen through the serape." Thereupon Lieutenant Webster went over to the police court to plead their cause before Judge Attoche, and the case was dismissed.
It was about this time that W. E. Cramer, editor and pro-
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prietor of the Evening Wisconsin, of Milwaukee, arrived in the city on a tour of inspection in the interest of his paper, and, of course, desired to see the Wisconsin troops then in the place. Mr. Cramer was one of the simplest and purest of men, and as deaf as a post and blind as a bat, but he would come nearer seeing and hearing everything that occurred than any other man of the times. He would attend the theater and give a better description of the play and the merits of the several actors, although he had not seen or heard either, than the aver- age man with good eyes and ears. In his walks about town he would be attracted by the architecture of buildings that would escape the attention of the ordinary observer. Lieutenant Webster met him in the rotunda of the St. Charles Hotel and invited him to dinner at the Battery camp. He readily ac- cepted the invitation and named the following day for the oc- casion, stipulating that he should be accorded the privilege of walking to the camp. On the following day the Lieutenant, accompanied by A. H. Pratt, of the Chicago Mercantile Bat- tery, an old acquaintance of Mr. Cramer, called for him to conduct him to the camp. He then desired to know which streets we were to travel. When told that we could go by the way of the levee, on Royal, Bourbon or Rampart streets, he said that he had been on all of those and wanted to know if there was not some other route by which we could reach the Battery. Pratt then suggested the "Old Basin" route, which seemed to please him, as he made it a point to never go twice over the same route if he could avoid it. At that time the "Old Basin" was the most disreputable street in the city and was not considered a safe place for a man to go unattended any time of the day. But they were a party of three and thought they could chance it. Soon after entering the street a woman considerably under the influence of liquor, whom the party met, made an attempt to throw her arms around the Lieuten- ant's neck, when he threw up his arm and pushed her to one side. Mr. Cramer seemed puzzled for a moment or so and then asked, "What did the lady want?" "Nothing; she's drunk," replied the Lieutenant through the ever-present trumpet. "I thought you did not look like a man who would repel an ap- peal for charity in that way," replied Cramer, and seemed much relieved that no person had been in any way wronged. Arriving at camp they found dinner waiting, of which Mr. Cramer was lavish in his praises. He had no idea that soldiers could live so well in camp, and asked if the enlisted men lived in the same manner, or if that was something a little different from the usual, everyday fare. After dinner he inspected the quarters, the guns and the horses and asked more questions in a minute than the best informed man in the battery could an- swer in an hour. He assured us that he was pleased to have
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met the Battery, as it was looked upon at home as one of the most effective military organizations in the service, and that its course had been closely followed and watched from Chick- asaw Bayou to the present time.
As has been before remarked, we were camped in close proximity to the cavalry commanded by Colonel Dudley, be- tween us and which there were not the most.amicable relations. Frequent conflicts of more or less serious nature occurred as the two factions met. On such occasions the weaker party "took to their holes" and waited for "the clouds to roll by" before venturing in that neighborhood again. Upon one occa- sion Jimmy Davidson and a comrade, whose name has escaped the writer's memory, were out on a bit of a "lark" when they met with a colored man of the cavalry brigade, for whom the boys began to raise the temperature. The colored man and brother beat a hasty retreat, leaving his hat behind. A cav- alry Captain happened along at this juncture, and took the nigger's part. Jimmy was pretty "full," and
not noticing the reinforcements were of higher rank than himself, let drive and knocked the Captain down, and then ran away. His comrade made his escape and arrived safely at home, but Jimmy was taken a prisoner and contned in the cavalry guardhouse. It was reported in camp that the officer had attempted to strike Jimmy without any provocation, and Lieutenant Webster at once decided to investi- gate the matter, and if it should prove to be so to prefer charges against the officer and have him court-martialed. He visited the cavalry camp, talked with the officer, whom he found to be a gentleman, and then talked with the prisoner and became convinced that Jimmy was in the wrong. and so told the officer. It was a serious case for Jimmy, and if prose- cuted would end in imprisonment at Tortugas and loss of pay. But. as Jimmy was a good boy, the Lieutenant thought he would try and secure his release, if possible, before it went further, and said to the Captain, "He is your prisoner and in your power. If you prosecute him it will be Dry Tortugas for a term of from one to five years with loss of pay. If he is spared this once there is a chance to save a good man to the service and usefulness as a citizen; but send him to Tortugas and he is ruined forever. He is a soldier, and a good one, brave in battle and obedient in camp, and. except on very rare occasions, like the present, is one of the best and most gen- erons-hearted men in the service." The officer thought the matter over a moment and then said. "I never want to feel that I am the cause of the ruin of any young man, and if you will vouch for his good behavior in the future I will let him off." Webster readily agreed to become his endorser for the future, and he was released and accompanied the Lieutenant home,
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when he was confined to camp one week as a starter on his good behavior. It may be stated here that there was never any more complaint in any way affecting the conduct of Jimmy David- son.
Colonel Dudley delighted in reviews and parades, and it was ordered on the 9th of February that we join in a review and parade. This time the review, which passed off properly, was supplemented by a short trial drill between Battery G, 5th U. S. Artillery, and the 1st Wisconsin Battery. We had not been notified that the drill was to occur, but welcomed the opportunity for a test of proficiency with a Regular battery, feeling confident that we could amuse them some while they were having fun with us. The result was satisfactory to us, for we demonstrated that, while they were perhaps a little more like a machine in their movements, owing to the fact that their horses were better drilled than ours, as we had received the bulk of our horses but a short time before the drill came off and they had horses that had been in the service for months, if not years, we could come into battery, load, fire, limber- up and move to a new position quicker than they could at their best. Only one thing could-have added to the satisfaction of Lieutenant Webster, and that was to have had the Regular Lieutenant of Artillery who snubbed him in Louisville in com- mand of that battery we had just beaten in drill. But we were not yet through with the Regulars, as will be shown further on.
The Battery being so far from town, or the center of it, and it not being convenient to patronize the street cars at all times, particularly when the paymaster was tardy with his visit, the boys were permitted to ride their horses when business called them to the business part of the town. One day Jimmy Cava- ner was one of a party that were on their way up town, when, just before arriving at a resting place by the way where they were to call for "refreshments." Jimmy's horse slipped on the stone pavement and fell broadside in the street. Jimmy lighted on his feet all right, however, and as the horse regained his feet Jimmy vaulted again into the saddle and was not the last one to arrive at the wayside rendezvous. As he rode up to the hitching post a bystander who had witnessed the feat congrat- ulated Jimmy upon his narrow escape. "Escape from what?" asks Jimmy. "Why, the fall of your horse just now," replied the man. "Oh, that's no fall; it was just a little bit of our drill," carelessly remarked Jimmy as he passed in to join in the assault on "the works."
On the 22d of February the first Free State election was held in the State of Louisiana for Governor and other State officers. Of course the election could only be held within the Union lines, and as only Union and Free State men could vote. the entire ticket was elected, with Michael Hahn at its head as
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Governor. The event was considered of sufficient importance to warrant a celebration of some kind. The matter was put in the hands of P. S. Gilmore, then in charge of a Massachusetts band in the city. He selected the foot of Canal street, by the custom house, as the place, and arranged to have about 40 pieces of artillery, to be fired by electricity, in the chorus. These pieces were arranged in a semi-circle with a keyboard in the rear and center, from which the firing was managed by the director of the music. He selected from among the best mili- tary bands in the city some three hundred pieces for the occa- sion. Our Battery furnished six guns for the orchestra, and during the performance were honored by the presence of Gen- eral Banks, his wife and daughter, who seemed much interested in the part the guns were taking, and during the rest between parts of the program they asked many questions concerning the manner of handling artillery in the field.
About this time General McClernand returned and assumed command of the corps, and General Ord left the Department of the Gulf to report to General Grant at Louisville. This change pleased the corps very much, as the idea prevailed that General McClernand had not been well used by General Grant and the War Department. He was a Western man, and under- stood the ways of Western men better than did General Ord. It was under the former that the corps had won its brightest victories, and it was under the latter that its autonomy had be- come almost destroyed, and the commands scattered from Texas to Mississippi. No man ever commanded the Thirteenth Army Corps who had its confidence more fully than had General McClernand.
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